How Does the Savior Bring Us Peace?

The angels who appeared to the shepherds expressed their hopes for us with these words: “On earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

At the end of His life, the Savior said to His apostles:

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).

About 30 years before the birth of Jesus, a group of people who repented of their sins heard a heavenly voice which whispered the following words:

Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world (Helaman 5:47).

How does the Savior bring us peace?

He helps us live in harmony with other people.

When the Savior visited the American continent following His death and resurrection, He admonished the people to avoid contention:

Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away (3 Nephi 11:30).

After spending three days with Him, the people were able to follow this admonition. “There were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another” (4 Nephi 1:2). There was “peace in the land” for nearly two hundred years (4 Nephi 1:4, 20, 22).

He helps us find peace of mind and heart.

When King Benjamin’s people pleaded with God to have mercy on them and “apply the atoning blood of Christ,” their sins were forgiven, and they had “peace of conscience” (Mosiah 4:2-3).

After Alma the Younger pleaded with Jesus to free him from excruciating guilt, he received a remission of his sins and found “peace to [his] soul” (Alma 38:8).

In contrast, Nephi recognized that, when he gave in to temptation, the devil was able to “destroy [his] peace and afflict [his] soul” (2 Nephi 4:27).

He leads us to a state of peace in the next life.

Alma taught his son Corianton that, after we die:

…the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow (Alma 41:12).

And Mormon assured a group of fellow worshippers that the peace they enjoyed in this life could continue into eternity:

I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven (Moroni 7:3).

After telling the people in the city of Gideon about the birth and life of the Savior, Alma the Younger left them with a blessing of peace:

And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus I have spoken. Amen (Alma 7:27).

On this Christmas Day, I will seek for the peace of God to rest upon me, upon my family, and upon all those whom I love. I will strive to live in peace with others, to find peace within myself, and to have hope for eternal peace, because of my Savior, Jesus Christ.