Peace and Happiness

I am on the last chapter of 'Defined by Christ'. The chapter I just finished was about peace and happiness. That is the key to life. It is the culmination of this book. If we come to know our Heavenly Father, come to know our Savior, Jesus Christ and be defined by Him we will have peace and happiness in our lives.

I know this to be true because I have felt of His peace and felt happiness these last couple of years. This is because I have decided to read my scriptures daily and be more diligent in my prayers and read books like 'Defined by Christ' which edify me and lead me toward Christ. This has enabled me to have joy and happiness.

Joy is what we are supposed to have in this life. In 'Defined by Christ,' Toni Sorenson states another one of my favorite scriptures; 2 Nephi 2:25 "Adam fell that man might be, men are that they might have joy." Reading this scripture reminded me of a time in my life when I was struggling with a marriage that was not a joy and I was trying to decide what I was supposed to do. Should I stay in it and try to make it work or should I get out and try to salvage a happy life for me and my children. It was not that my now ex was a bad person. He was not, but we did not seem to want the same eternal things and we did not agree on how to get to eternity. I was miserable a lot and did not know where to turn. I was speaking with my Stake President about my dilemma and after a while of talking he quoted 2 Ne. 2:25. He said that the Lord wanted us to be happy. Not just the momentary, fleeting happiness that the world speaks of, but of the true long-lasting, eternal happiness that comes from knowing our Savior and living the gospel. That is when I decided to be more diligent in my prayers, scripture study, and in keeping the commandments. As I did this I began to feel the peace the Savior gives to me. I was able to find peace while going through the divorce, knowing the Lord was with me. I also knew that with time He could heal my children and give them peace.

I had also been looking outside of myself for this peace and happiness. But these come from within us. As Toni says in the book, "Peace and happiness are within us. We'll never find them in a place or in a package. We'll never find them by whining or murmuring. We'll never find them as long as we are ungrateful, as long as we refuse to forgive, as long as we cling to bitterness, hatred, vengeance. They will not be found as we wallow in pity or any type of self-destructive behavior. It's not our circumstances that determine our peace and happiness -- it's our attitude toward those circumstances." How true that is. Even now when I feel that I am having troubles, if I get out of myself and think of others and serve, think of my Savior, read edifying material and tell my Heavenly Father how grateful I am for all I have, I can look at these troubles in a different light and be able to get through them with a greater peace and happiness.

The Savior can give us of His peace because He has felt every sorrow or hurt that we have. When we feel down we should remember that we are not expected to be perfect in this life. Even the best of men in this world are not perfect. Even prophets like Nephi have doubted themselves, but they also have realized in whose arm they have put their trust and where to find peace and happiness. I feel His peace daily and am grateful for His love for me!