Note–see this video for an object lesson that sets up the below scriptural insights.
Consider for example Nephi, the son of Helaman. He was a mighty prophet who lived twenty years before Christ’s birth. Despite his best efforts across several years, the people were choosing evil and he felt powerless to stop them. On one occasion he said, “Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem . . . ; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God. . . . Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren” (Helaman 7:6–8).
Did you notice anything odd about that passage? When do we read about the original Nephi having “joy in the righteousness of [his] brethren”? Were his people really “easy to be entreated”? Lehi’s son Nephi actually faced incredible difficulties because of the poor choices made by his brothers. Nephi the son of Helaman appears to be looking at what is (the wickedness of his people) and wishingit were something else (the idealized time of the original Nephi). Because he was so focused on a faulty perception of how things had been in the past he made his current life harder. Even valiant servants of the Lord can have difficult days and fall prey to this trap. Do you and I ever do the same thing? Do we look at others and “If only we could be them—then I would be happy.” When we do that kind of thing it’s like we’re focusing on the red, when really we should be looking for the blue.
Compare this experience that with an incredible example of one who was able to find peace amidst great distress—the almost unknown Book of Mormon hero Anti-Nephi-Lehi. Anti-Nephi-Lehi was the brother of King Lamoni; both were among the converts of the sons of Mosiah. Anti-Nephi-Lehi became king over all the Lamanites just as some Lamanites were preparing to attack those who had joined the church (see Alma 24:3–4). Anti-Nephi-Lehi had recently lost his father, he had a new leadership role, and his life was in danger. If anybody had an excuse to be gloomy it’s him! It was in this context that he declared unto his people:
I thank my God . . . that our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the Nephites, unto us to preach unto us . . .
I thank my great God that he has given us a portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts . . .
I also thank my God . . . that he hath . . . taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son (Alma 24:7–10).
Anti-Nephi-Lehi looked at what was, a terribly difficult situation, but was still able to see positive aspects and still was grateful. He was thankful for the gift of repentance, for the missionaries, and for his conversion to the gospel. To go back to original analogy, we could say that even though there was a lot of red in his life, but Anti-Nephi-Lehi was still able to see the blue.
My good friend Tami gave me this advice: “John, the grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s green where you water it.” We can take this advice to heart by focusing on the good. Even when we’re surrounded by difficult circumstances we can still choose to look for the good and as a result find greater peace in our lives.
This post was based on material from the book, The Founder of our Peace.
