Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

"Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (1)

During the last dinner with His disciples, Jesus shared with them that He would be leaving them. "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward." (2) The disciples were troubled. Jesus, their Master, Teacher and special Friend said that He would be leaving them. They looked to Him for help in all their difficulties, for comfort in their sorrows and disappointments. A lot was going to happen to them during the following twenty-four hours. Jesus would be crucified. However, He was able to see beyond His crucifixion and the grave to His resurrection and ascension to heaven to be our advocate at the right hand of God (3). Jesus was preparing His disciples for the inevitable.

Satan's craft is most successful against those who are depressed by troubles and fear, and the disciples were about to go through the worst and most difficult experience of their lives. Jesus was preparing them to weather the storm. From earthly tribulations and trials, He turned their thoughts to heavenly realities. From present circumstances, He helps us to see beyond the curtain of today to the possibilities of tomorrow. Jesus has a way of getting us beyond our current perplexities and troubles into the light of a new day and new hope. By faith we can know and accept that by His Spirit, He is there with us walking through the troubled waters.

We can know that He is with us. (4)
We can know that He will protect us. (5)
We can know that He will give us wisdom to deal with each situation. (6)
We can know that He loves and cares for you and me. (7)
We can know that all things will be resolved for our benefit. (8)
We can know that we can rely on Him. (9)

May God bless you and keep you close to Him!

1. John 14:27.
2. John 13:36.
3. 1 John 2:1.
4. Matthew 28:20; and John 14:23.
5. Psalm 91.
6. James 1:5.
7. Jeremiah 31:3, and 1 Peter 5:7.
8. Romans 8:28.
9. 1 John 5:14, 15.