Complacency vs. Peace

The question I blogged about 2 posts ago popped into my head during a lesson on the 2nd Coming of our Savior - specifically during the topic of what is preventing us from fully preparing to be clean, worthy, and ready, and what is preventing us from doing that today.

I got a whole epiphany of how much complacency clouds the desire to fight for real, true, lasting peace. In fact, I determined that complacency is nothing less than a great tool of Satan, and even the antithesis of peace.

Complacency is what undermines peace. It is what takes your focus off of it. It tricks you into feeling just enough calm, that you don't stop to evaluate whether you are peaceful or just complacent. Complacency will allow someone to sit and do nothing while the world falls down, walls go up, foundations break apart, or any other number of catastrophes. It is scarier than the shock of war, because it causes us to feel safety in devastation's path.

It causes you to forget about peace.

We feel trusting enough to put ourselves in areas which would normally cause us to take precautions & make changes. When we are complacent, we don't even feel a need to evaluate whether precautions or changes need to be made. We take for granted that all is well and good, without stopping to question whether that is true at all.

WAR moves us. Complacency lulls us. Peace strengthens us. Complacency dulls us.

Don't believe me? Anytime there's a war, people react! We move. We take stands. Think about the effects on us after 9/11. Think about where we are today. More importantly, think about where YOU are today. Are you peaceful about the world's issues? Do you have peace that all will, in fact, be well? Is it a peace born of your faith and world being shaken and then solidified? Or are you complacent? Dulled? Lulled by time? Do you still fear? And if you still fear, do you believe that fear & peace cannot co-exist? Do you believe that peace could replace the fear - to whatever extent YOU choose to allow it?
Think about people racked with chronic diseases. Some become bitter, angry, afraid, isolated, and almost painful to even think of. Others become so inspirational, thoughtful, selfless, strong, and peaceful, that when you are with them they cause you to forget the pain & struggles they feel everyday, and you instead feel honored to know and interact with them. Does peace strengthen? Absolutely. True peace always strengthens.

So my next big question is:

Are you complacent? Or peaceful?

Do you WANT to be complacent? It doesn't require anything from you other than that you sit & stay & do nothing. You can carry on, exactly as is. It requires nothing from you. No change. Nothing. You are already there, and you need to do nothing more.
Or do you want to have PEACE? The real, solid, lasting calm which comes from faith & trust & which will sustain you during the most difficult times of your life.
One requires nothing from you & can rob you of all that you take for granted.
The other requires your heart, your willingness, your trust, and your effort. Peace does not come without work. In fact, one can never be truly peaceful without exerting effort & sacrifice. Amazingly, though, that effort & sacrifice become part of a joy which, when peace is a foundation to, is the greatest joy imaginable. It is joy beyond joys.
And it is real.

Now, MY reality is this: I still fear. I am still working & struggling to gain greater peace in my heart & life in SO many areas. World War III & Armageddon, (really, though, how these will affect ME & MY life). My future. Whether or not I'll be able to be happily married again. The road I will have to walk to get there, if so. Disease & epidemics. Can I be a good enough daughter? A good enough sister? A good enough friend? A good enough mother when & if the time ever comes? They all still scare me.

But I have more peace than I have ever had in my life. I believe that life is a journey of many kinds. Most of which we never tangibly see. This is one of my great journeys now. Peace vs. Complacency. I know I cannot address every detailed issue where this fight is waging, but I am adding strength to the ones which I know are important right now.

And I will also say, with all conviction of my heart:

Do NOT settle for complacency! PEACE is the true gift. (& one worth fighting for!!)