Isaiah prophesied that God would “swallow up death in victory” (Isaiah 25:8).
Aaron borrowed this terminology when he taught the king of the Lamanites that Christ would “[break] the bands of death,,,and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory” (Alma 22:14). This was more than a theoretical concept. The people who were converted by Aaron and his brothers’ teaching resolved never to fight again, even at the cost of their lives. Here’s how Mormon described their emotional state:
They did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence;
and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren;
and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror,
for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection;
therefore, death was swallowed up to them
by the victory of Christ over it.
(Alma 27:28)
What we think about affects how we feel. When we focus on negative things, we feel negative emotions. But when our minds are focused on positive, hopeful things, we feel more joy, assurance, and peace. The anxiety doesn’t go away; it’s swallowed up—put in context, incorporated into a broader understanding, coexistent with feelings associated with other important facts.
Today, I will strive for perspective in my thoughts. I will not ignore risks that must be mitigated and issues that must be resolved. But I will also remember hopeful truths that keep those challenges in perspective and that can swallow up the anxiety I might otherwise feel.