Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1
Jesus was meeting with the disciples in an upper room, behind doors which hid him from public scrutiny—at least for the moment. His words flowed out of His heart. He said—probably quietly and with great confidence—”Stop letting your hearts be troubled!” Now, verbs in the Greek language convey a definite kind of action; that isn’t necessarily true in English, and the one that Jesus used indicated that worry and concern had begun a long while before and was continuing. But He is saying, “Stop doing it.”
The Greek word which is usually translated “to be troubled” means to be disturbed or upset. It can also mean terrified or frightened. Used of water, it meant to stir up something. If you put two ingredients in a glass and shook it vigorously, you would use the same word.
Simply put, the word describes someone who is really upset and bothered by a situation. The disciples who met with Jesus in that upper room had plenty of reason to be disturbed. Earlier in the week Jesus had evoked the anger of the religious community as He went into the temple and dumped over the tables of the money changers. They were angry, furious, and now considered Him to be their enemy.
Moments before, Jesus had taken off His outer garments, draped Himself in a towel, and washed the feet of the disciples. Then, looking into their eyes, He announced that one of them was a traitor who would deny Him. Peter, making sure which side he was on, announced he would never deny his Lord, yet Jesus said that before the cock would crow, Peter would deny Him three times.
I’m convinced, however, that as Jesus looked into the faces of the twelve and said, “Don’t worry; don’t be afraid,” he looked far beyond those who sat around that table. He saw the husband whose wife of ten years would succumb to cancer, leaving a bewildered, confused husband behind with two small children. He saw the widow whose husband was buried shortly after he had reached retirement age, thinking that, at last, they could travel and enjoy life together.
Friend, what troubles you today? Is it a matter of indifference to God, or does what Jesus said speak to the need of your heart? Can you apply what Jesus said—”Stop worrying; stop being afraid” to your life? Why not?
He then gave them reason for confidence: “You believe in God; believe in me.” It was true! They did believe in God. From the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their forebears had believed in God. It is no different today. Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Christians all believe in God. I mean, what politician won’t end his speech with a hearty, “God bless our country!” But, said Jesus, “Believe also in me.”
If the record is true, stating explicitly that Jesus lived, died and rose again, He’s alive today and He can do something about the circumstances which distress you. Far too often we struggle with issues as though there is no God, as though Christ never stilled the troubled waters and said, “Peace, be still!”
How often we toss and turn at night, struggling by day, because those words have not penetrated our hearts. He still says, “Stop worrying, stop being agitated over the circumstances of your life. Believe in Me!”
Listen, and you will hear the echo of Jesus’s words, and it will bring peace to your heart.
Resource Reading: John 14:1-14.
