HOPE FOR TROUBLED HEARTS

“LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED; you believe in God, believe also in Me” – John 14:1

In Christ Jesus there is HOPE for TROUBLED HEARTS: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (Jh.14: 1-2). The disciples found themselves troubled over the news that Jesus would be leaving them soon and that they would all fall away that very night. But Jesus comforted them and gave them the strength of Hope and Faith to go through the troubles. These are the words we need to hear as well especially in these times of great peril and distress of nations.

That their benefactor was speaking about His departure and death was enough reason to be troubled! But Jesus released Words of Comfort, Hope, and Succour: “Let not your heart be troubled” (v.1a). The Bible does not ignore trouble, but assures the Believer of deliverance from and triumph over all troubles. From the garden in Genesis to the final battle in Revelation, trouble is a part of humanity’s temporal picture: “Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). But, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psa.34: 17-19). The Lord does not want us to have troubled hearts but peaceful hearts.

There is hardly any human being that goes through life without encountering some form of difficulty, pressure, pain, or trouble. Some troubles are so deep, and some pains so profound, that it’s really hard to have hope, but it is not impossible. Such was the case with the disciples. While the intimate picture John painted of Jesus’ last hours with His disciples is beautiful in many ways, it is not a perfect picture. And this should make us glad and hopeful, for our lives are not perfect pictures either. But because He lives, all fear is gone, and we can face each new day and face tomorrow with Hope.

Jesus is not saying we should simply ignore or minimize life’s troubles. No. His instructions are simple: “Trust the Father; trust Me.” That is what brings Hope to a troubled heart. Unbelieving people enjoy a semblance of peace only when there is an absence of trouble; but Christians can enjoy peace in spite of trials because of the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit: “PEACE I leave with you, MY PEACE I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jh.14:27). Whatever it is that our hearts are troubled about – marriage, children, work, finances, or ministry – we can trust the One who holds our future. He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (v.6a). We can trust Jesus, who gave His life to secure for us an eternal home and offers Hope for our troubled hearts today.

Trouble does not have the final word. Jesus has the Final Word and the remedy for heart trouble: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jh.16:33). Loving God’s Word brings peace, despite the troubles in the world: “GREAT PEACE have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psa.119:165). Having our thoughts fixed upon God brings Perfect Peace: “You will keep him in PERFECT PEACE, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isa.26:3).

As we believe in God and in His Son Jesus Christ, fixing our thoughts upon Him, we’ll experience His Peace, be cheerful through the floods and fires of life, and no trouble will ever cause us to stumble!