Peace, Not As the World Giveth

I'm a blessed man.  Downright spoiled right now, in fact.  That's what I tell everyone.  Beyond being blessed by the restored gospel and having a wonderful family, I have a good income and I'm able to pursue good professional opportunities.  I have an extremely flexible schedule at the moment.

I have a lot of little things that bring me some measure of happiness, like books and movies.  I'm able to chat with distant friends via text message.  I'm in good health.  I have clean water to drink and bathe in and access to a wide variety of food that is either healthy, good-tasting, or both.  I have a comfortable home.  (And carpet; my standard for being rich, on a global scale, is having carpet, so overall I'm doing really well.)  I live in a land that values and preserves a great deal of personal liberty.

Being blessed as I am and being currently free from severe stress makes it easy to feel happy.  I think that sometimes similar conditions have led people to overlook the source of true, lasting happiness and real, eternal peace.

What if I were to lose the things I have?

People experience loss.  There is a limitless amount of precedent for misfortune and loss, and it's entirely plausible that I could lose almost all of the things I listed above, and much more.  I doubt that I would lose them all together, like Job, but it's possible that any day I could experience significant loss on any given day.  Tragedy sometimes occurs on a personal level, and sometimes with much larger scope.  Nations fall.  Natural disasters, war, and other problems displace thousands and millions.  I could break a limb or get cancer or otherwise fall ill.  My house could burn down, with all of my possessions in it.  I sincerely hope it will not happen, but my wife or children could experience grave injury.  But what if?  What if I were to lose these things that bring me happiness?

I know that regardless of any particular blessing or the loss of it, no matter how much misfortune may come my way, I can still be right before God.  No matter what I could lose, I could still dedicate myself to righteousness and service to God and others.  And that would bring me peace, "not as the world giveth" (John 14:27), but as Jesus Christ gives to all those who earnestly follow Him.

To say this is the sort of thing that would have superstitious people knocking on wood.  Indeed, I do not ask for trouble or loss to enter my life.  But, having mentioned Job, I know that any of us can show the same commitment to following Christ that he showed, despite any loss.

Last thoughts for now:
It's easy to say that I could be committed like that.  But I know it's possible.  I know that we can make that kind of choice.  In the meanwhile, I hope to make that kind of commitment without needing tragedy to spur me on.  But if tragedy should befall me, I know that I can still receive the peace that our Savior brings.