How to Have an Untroubled Heart
Here’s one of Jesus’ most powerful lessons on having peace in troubling situations
A few hours before the cross Jesus told his closest disciples, “Do not let your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1a)
Its one thing to listen to instructions, but it’s another thing follow them. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t just tell us not to let ourselves get worried, fearful, or anxious, in the next few words He tells us some God insights on how to do it.
But First, the Background
John 13–17 is one of the most important sections in all of Scripture because Jesus goes deeper into specific and essential insights in one interaction regarding living God’s way.
In John 13, Jesus washes the disciples feet and tells them to live with a servant attitude as well. He tells them one of them is going to betray Him and He’s going to be leaving them now.
He gives them THE KEY COMMANDMENT that is intended to guide EVERYTHING His followers would do: “Love one another as I have loved you. By this will all men know that you are My disciples.” (John 13:34–35)
When He tells them that He is leaving and they can’t follow Him where He’s going, Peter says, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
Jesus then tells Peter that he will not only fail and laying his life down for him, but by morning he would end up denying Jesus three times.
Got It? There is a lot of tension in the air, a lot of room for anxiety and uncertainty, PLUS the most influential of the disciples has just been told he is actually going to deny Jesus three times before morning.
Then Jesus says, “Do not let your heart be troubled…”
Jesus’ “Untroubled Heart” Instructions
Jesus packs a lot into just a few simple statements and I’m not going to try to fully unpack all of it in a short article, but here are the key takeaways given in the next 2 1/2 verses.
- Our responses dictate peace & faith or worry and fear. “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Even though “trouble” tries to dominate our thoughts and emotions, there are steps we can take to stop it.
Even if we feel like fear or worry or uncertainty is out of control, the reality is…it doesn’t have to be.
One of the greatest parts of being a Jesus follower is that He Himself lives in us by the Holy Spirit and His Words. Jesus never freaked out. Despite incredible pressure, the only time He gave up was on purpose on the cross when He died for us.
2. Faith in God Defeats Trouble. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)
There are certain practices that have multiple benefits; not just one. Eating well doesn’t just improve heart health, it also improves every other system in the body. Eating well, exercising, and sleeping well have multiple positive effects.
Faith in God is like that, x 100. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are not only given eternal life as a gift, but all of the thousands of God’s promises become ours. Thousands of promises, carrying God’s will and power to manifest in us those specific blessings.
We receive answers to pray by faith. We conquer spiritual enemies, overcome the world, fulfill our mission, AND get rid of a troubled heart.
We don’t have to believe perfectly. Remember, Jesus had just told Peter he would deny Him three times before morning. Can you imagine what Peter felt?
But even then, Jesus is telling them, Peter included), despite the huge failure you’re about to commit, “Believe in God” and “believe in Me.”
When faith in God fills our hearts, there is no room left for worry and anxiety.
Because saying “believe” is easier than actually having faith when our world is being turned upside down, Jesus continues with some incredibly faith-building and comfort giving truths.
3. Jesus Has Already Made Plans for You.
“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.” (John 14:2)
Knowing that Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a specialized place for us with the Father is the ultimate fear destroyer. We don’t think about it a lot, because it can be morbid, but we are all going to die….we are all going to leave these physical bodies at some point.
We are going to spend eternity somewhere. If we’ve received Jesus, then it will be with the Father, in heaven, in a place prepared for us by Jesus Himself forever!
Even if life gets so hard that our bodies can’t take it anymore and they die; we do not have to fear even this age’s greatest enemy, death, because Jesus has already made plans, even for that time.
If Jesus has prepared for eternity, how much more has He got things prepared for the brief time we are on this planet? Romans 8 says that if God gave us His only Son, how much more will He give us all things?
If Jesus has prepared for our eternity, how much more does He have things in place for what we face now?
4. Jesus Loves Us So Much He Wants Us to Be with Him
Sometimes, especially when I’ve committed the same lousy sin over and over again, I have the thought that God must not like me very much right now. Sure, I know He loves me, after all John 3:16 says He loves the whole world, but I “feel” like God must be tired of all my mess ups.
Feelings, however, are not facts. Feelings simply tell us how we’re perceiving things right now; not if those perceptions are accurate.
God’s words are eternal, unshakeable, truth and Jesus said, “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 14:3)
Notice Jesus’ faith-building, peace producing logic. “Since I’m going to do all the work of preparing a place for you, that means I’m going to come back, get you, receive you because I WANT YOU WITH ME….”where I am, there you may be also.”
Jesus doesn’t just love us; He actually likes us and wants us to be with Him FOREVER! Jesus, God the Son, likes and loves us so much that He sees it as a positive to have us with Him.
You’ve heard it a thousand times, but if you’re like me, I still don’t realize the depth of it: God loves you! He likes you! He wants you to be with Him forever and ever and ever and He never gets tired of you!
Jesus gave other powerful teachings on having peace in a uncertain world, but the ones He gives us here are a key ingredient in His peace combo.
Let’s do a real quick review:
- We have more control over our hearts than we often realize. Our responses have power.
- Faith in God defeats trouble and releases peace.
- Jesus has already worked things out; He’s got great plans for you.
- Jesus loves you and likes you so much He wants you to be with Him.
If you want more resources on experiencing Jesus and living His purposes, I warmly invite you to head over to www.TruVineMission.com.
