Stop Being Troubled! (Part One)

From the desk of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D. Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). The caution “do not let your heart be troubled” was spoken specifically to the disciples in the face of Jesus’ impending death. Although believers today are not in the same specific situation, the authoritative counsel still applies. We should not let our hearts be troubled by anxiety or worry about Jesus’ care and plan for us. When we face trouble, we may think that, if only Jesus were here with us, in person, standing beside us so that we could talk face to face, we could get through the trial. We are tempted to think that we could trust Him better if He were visible and in the flesh. When we begin to have these thoughts, we need to let our hearts be comforted by two key facts: Jesus has done everything that needs to be done for us to be welcomed into the Father’s house; and the Holy Spirit lives in us to help us, if we will yield ourselves to His leading. When we rest in the salvation that Jesus provided and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the dangerous world around us, we can go through trouble without being troubled ourselves. Be encouraged!