BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God; trust also in Me.”
(John 14:1)
MEDITATION:
Whenever we consider everything going on in the world today,
it can become very troubling, can’t it? It can be difficult for
us to understand why some people do the things they do.
Thieves not only rob people but they also shoot them for no
apparent reason. Terrorists are doing barbaric things to people
who don’t share their religious beliefs. The government and
politicians in general have proven to be untrustworthy. There
are some who are trustworthy and we should be thankful for them.
Children are being abused and abandoned; many often join gangs as
their new family. Our military is being decimated, which threatens
our feelings of security and protection. Lawmakers and lawsuits are
making it difficult for the policemen to do their job; criminal’s rights
are being elevated ahead of the rights of those who are paid to protect
us.
People refuse to assume responsibility for their own criminal actions;
they are always blaming something, or someone else for their actions.
We could go on and on, but if we did, it would cause us to be even more
troubled.
With that as a backdrop, why in the world would Jesus tell us to
“Do not let our hearts be troubled”? We can easily understand what
He says, but how can we make His instructions a part of our lives?
If we can balance the ‘troubles’, with ‘reasons’ not to be troubled,
then maybe it will be easier for us to obey His instructions.
Jesus tells us that it begins with trust; trust in the Father and trust
in the Son. We can interpret ‘trust’ to mean ‘faith’. It seems like
Jesus is telling us to take our eyes off the troubles and focus on His
promises. It makes sense, doesn’t it? The less we look at bad things,
the less they bother us. And, the more we look at good things, the
less we notice the bad things.
First of all, we need to have a faith that Heaven is a real place.
It is not an imaginary fantasy, but it is the dwelling place of
God (along with the angels and those who have been redeemed).
Next, we need to remember that as believers, Heaven is a place
prepared for us. When the Lord prepares anything for us, we
know it will be ideal. Jesus told us that He was going to prepare
a place for us; He is there doing that right now.
Lastly, we need to remember that when everything is ready,
Jesus will return to take us to our real home – the home He
has prepared especially for each person.
Hopefully, when we take our eyes off the ‘troubles’ of this life
and focus on the home the Lord has prepared for us, we can
do a better job of ‘not letting our hearts be troubled’.
When we read God’s Word, we can expect the troubles of this
life to increase, but through them all, we can have a heart of
peace. Why? Because we know that God and His Son are real,
Heaven is real, we have an ideal place prepared for us that is
real, and Jesus will come one day and take us to our Heavenly
home.
In order to have a peaceful heart, we have to have a relationship
(fellowship and friendship) with the Lord. When we are friends
with the Lord, we will focus more on Him and His promises. We
will also realize and accept the fact that this world is temporary
and it will be gone one day. When that happens, we will all move
to one of two new worlds – either heaven, or hell.
So the questions we might ask ourselves are:
What kind of relationship do I have with the Lord?
Do I have a trusting faith in God’s promises?
How much of the world is active in my life?
Where is my focus – on the world, or the Lord’s promises?
Can I live with a peaceful heart in the midst of troubles
that surround me?
The answer to the last question is a resounding “Yes”! But, it is
not something we can accomplish on our own. We need the Lord
to help us in overcoming our wrong thoughts, and changing our
focus from the bad things controlled by Satan, to the promises
God has given us.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I confess that I have allowed the things
of this world to have an effect on my life (thoughts, words,
actions, attitudes, emotions, interactions with others, etc.).
I pray that You will help me to redirect my focus from the
worldly troubles, to the promises You have given us. I am
confident that as my fellowship with You increases, I will
be less troubled about the things I see going on around me.
Help me to spend more time reading Your Word so that I
will be thankful for Your promises, and I will embrace the
way you are transforming me from who I am, to the person
You want me to be. Thank You for loving, forgiving, and
transforming me through your sanctification process! As
You help me to ‘put on a new self’, help me to realize that
Your discipline will most likely be required. Help me to
accept Your discipline as confirmation that I belong to You.
Forgive me for the times I have resisted, or rebelled against
the changes You are making in my life.”
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