There Is Peace In Christ: Day 7

On the 7th day of Christmas, Christ gave me… Peace.

I didn’t know what else to do except get out of the house & drive. I didn’t know where I was going or when I’d come back.

I just knew I was in absolute turmoil.

I found myself heading towards the temple. It was snowing. It was really late. I knew the temple was not the ideal place to go in slick conditions, as it was up the mountain.

But I went.

I saw it gleam up ahead. Not a person or car was in sight. I climbed the hill alone.

Slowly I drove until the temple was in full view. It was breathtaking.

I drove the loop around it, much on my mind.

“Help me, God,” I pled.

As I started carefully creeping my way back down the hill, movement caught my eye.

A deer. Strolling gracefully across the snow-covered road in front of me.

I stopped.

He stopped. 

We stared at each other. Me & him, in the darkness of the night, under the glow of the temple, surrounded by the beauty of falling snow.

Then he continued on.

And so did I.

A powerful sense of peace enveloped me.

I can’t explain it. It might sound silly. Meaningless. A coincidence. I get it. I mean, there’s a lot of deer in the mountains.

But I know better. And though it was many years ago, it still comes to mind from time to time. Because in that moment, I felt God acknowledging me, my pain & my desires. I was granted peace. I wasn’t alone on the mountain.

Christ said:

“Peace​ I leave with you, my ​​​peace​ I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be ​​​troubled​, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Not as the world giveth.

My problems didn’t go away. But that’s not what Christ promised. He said we don’t have to be troubled or afraid.

“The world sees peace as the absence of conflict or pain, but Jesus offers us solace despite our suffering. His life was not free of conflict or pain, but it was free of fear & full of meaning.” (Elder Sorensen)

He knows exactly how we feel. With Him, we need not fear. With Him, peace is found.

“He gives us hope

When hope is gone

He gives us strength

When we can't go on

He gives us shelter

In the storms of life

When there's no peace on Earth

There is peace in Christ.” -Nik Day