“Don’t Let Your Hearts be Troubled”

                           

There’s a reason why Jesus told his disciples in John 14 to “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” in the beginning of the chapter and to reiterate it again at the end of the chapter “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, don’t be afraid.” Jesus knew what His disciples were thinking, feeling, and what they were going through when he spoke those words. Have you found yourself in a “troubled” state lately?

 It’s hard not to turn a blind eye to the various calamities happening around the world right now. I’ve found it hard to maintain a positive outlook after reading about current events. Let us put aside what’s going on in the world and focus on the home front. A lot of us have face some hardships in our personal lives or we know of loved ones that are facing similar hardships as well. What do you do in times like these?  

 You pray. Praise/Worship. Get in the Word. For some, that’s easier said than done and for others, it’s part of their daily routine. Lately, I have found it difficult to find the words to pray. Instead, I have questioned God more than I want to and have demanded that He do things more than I should. If you have a hard time praying, summon for your Helper, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps us & intercedes for us. Sometimes we don’t know what to say, the Spirit intercedes “for us with groanings too deep for words”. Prayer, Praise/Worship, and God’s Word are the most powerful weapons any person will have to fight the enemy. Remember the evil one roams around day & night, not only to accuse you before God but to devour you. Staying diligent, focused, and in alignment with God will help to quickly realize the schemes of the evil one. It’s time to stand up and put on the full Armor of God! (Ephesians 6: 10-18)

 Believe in Jesus & Rest in His love. Placing your faith in God is a way of telling yourself to trust Him. Many times, God has asked me do you believe that I’m sovereign? This line of questioning aligns my heart with the truth that God is in control, and I have to trust Him. God has great plans for your life and the first step is believing that he sent His Son Jesus to die for you. God has his arms wide open ready for you to experience his unfailing & unconditional love. “His perfect love casts out fear”. When you’re in His love, you trust in a sure future and unbelief has no place in your heart.

Stay in Peace. Jesus distinctively told His disciples that His peace is different than the world’s peace. His peace is assurance that God works everything out for our good. His peace surpasses beyond what our limited minds can comprehend. His peace is the anchor that we need in troubled times. God’s peace is everlasting. The world will have times of temporary tranquility but will not give you everlasting peace.  Not only did Jesus leave (“allowing to remain” per Oxford definition) peace, He also gave (“freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone”) peace to his disciples. The world does not possess peace therefore they cannot transfer peace and it will not forever remain. Jesus wants you to take possession of the peace He has given you and to remain in it until His return.

Don’t question God, question yourself. If you’ve felt like God is distant, well you’re not alone. A lot of us at some point in our lives have felt like God turned his back on us. Don’t let the evil one trick you into thinking that God is finished with you or that He is angry with you. The Bible says that God is “full of loving-kindness” & His “tender mercies” surrounds you. He is patient with us and His kindness leads us to turn to Him. Sometimes we can’t help but ask God where He is and what’s He’s up to. Maybe we need to ask ourselves if we have wandered away from God. The more we want to take control of things, the further away we get from Him and the farther away we are from His Truth. Question where what or who you’ve given your attention to lately. Question what has been distracting you from the Truth of God’s Word. God is here. He sees. He knows. But do you trust Him?

Warm Wishes,

Carline

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