In his talk, “Peacemakers Needed,” President Russell M. Nelson pointed out a detail from John’s vision of the War in Heaven. He noted that, after Satan was overcome, he came to the earth, “having great wrath” (Revelation 12:12; see footnote 8 from President Nelson’s talk). President Nelson added, “Those who foster contention are taking a page out of Satan’s playbook, whether they realize it or not.”
Why was Satan angry, John offered a simple but unintuitive explanation: “because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12). Not because of what he had lost but because of how quickly he needed to act. I tend to associate a looming deadline more with fear than with anger, but I realize that bad feelings beget other bad feelings, and that panic leads very easily to rage.
When Jesus visited the American continent after His death and resurrection, He was clear about his position on interpersonal conflict:
He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
3 Nephi 11:29
I suppose that anger, like misery, loves company. The devil wants us to be angry, so that we will make decisions that lead to “captivity and death,” in order to make us “miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27).
What is the antidote? It is self-discipline, born of our faith in God. President Nelson promised, “The Savior’s Atonement made it possible for us to overcome all evil—including contention.” Then, he gave the following warning:
Contention drives away the Spirit—every time. Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences; but it never is. Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.
“Peacemakers Needed,” General Conference, April 2023
Today, I will overcome contention with God’s help. I will remember that the devil wants me to feel anger, and that acting on those feelings will lead me away from happiness and peace. I will exercise self-discipline and choose reconciliation.
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