46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.
When we think of peace, we generally think of freedom from violence and conflict. But the gospel can give us an inner peace, which can calm our souls even in the midst of a raging storm.
The group of people described in the passage above were Lamanites and Nephite dissenters who had imprisoned two missionaries, Nephi and Lehi, and who had gathered at the prison with the intent to kill the prisoners. The two missionaries were miraculously protected from the mob, and the mob was surrounded by a cloud of darkness which not only prevented them from seeing clearly but which also filled their hearts with fear. The walls of the prison shook, and they heard a voice telling them to repent. Because of their fear, they couldn’t move.
As I wrote on Sunday, one of their number, Aminadab, told them that if they would cry to the voice, they would be freed from the cloud of darkness. As a result of that prayer, the cloud of darkness was dispersed, the Spirit of the Lord filled their hearts, and as we read in the passage above, the fear in their hearts was replaced by peace. How fitting that the peace was announced by a voice so pleasant and quiet that it was like a whisper!
I’m grateful for the peace that the gospel can bring into our hearts, even in unsettling circumstances. In the words of the hymn:
Sweet is the peace the gospel brings
To seeking minds and true.
With light refulgent on its wings,
It clears the human view…
Faithless tradition flees its pow’r,
And unbelief gives way.
The gloomy clouds, which used to low’r,
Submit to reason’s sway (“Sweet Is the Peace the Gospel Brings,” Hymns, #14)
Today, I will pray to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, which will bring peace into my heart. I will remember that the gospel can bring peace into our hearts, even when we are surrounded by turmoil and contention.
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