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let not your heart be troubled, Jesus said these words at the Last Supper. That night the disciples had mixed emotions.

They were apprehensive that the master would leave them. They were afflicted because they knew that one of them would betray and the other would deny Jesus. But amid these feelings, there was also immense love.

Have you ever felt that way, with your heart troubled by conflicting emotions?

Faced with a confusing moment, take to yourself the words of Jesus that night: “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). Because He gave you at least six reasons to calm down:

  1. There is a place that He prepared for you in the Father’s house;
  2. He’ll come back for you;
  3. You know the way since He is the way;
  4. He will do what you ask in His name;
  5. If you love Him, you will also be loved by the Father.
  6. He left us peace.

4 Good explanation of let, not your heart be troubled

1. Rely on the Holy Spirit to teach you peace when your heart feels troubled.

In John 14, Jesus told his disciples that he would be leaving them. And they were frantically trying to figure out who, what, where, when, and why. The idea of Jesus leaving and them not being able to go with him was enough to wreck them.

But Jesus said, “My peace I give you.” The peace he is referring to is the Holy Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit who would teach them and remind them of the things Jesus said to them.

This is the same promise we have. The Holy Spirit will work in our lives to bring peace amid trouble. We need him to teach us peace.

We often desire an ‘action step’ that we can physically enact. But finding peace is not our own doing. We need the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and minds to teach us peace.

Relying on the Holy Spirit can be more challenging than actively doing something to create peace in our hearts. But the peace Jesus is talking about comes outside of us and our ability to create.

2. Actively remind yourself to not be troubled.

In light of the understanding that we can’t fabricate peace in our own lives, we should be intentional about reminding ourselves that we need peace in place of our angst.

I’ve found myself sitting at the table staring at my bank account and the many bills that need to be paid. Instantly my heart begins to race and worry seems to suffocate me. It’s at this moment that I need to be reminded that my heart should not be troubled. I have told myself out loud, “Let not your heart be troubled. God will care for you.”

In these moments, we need the truth of Jesus to interject and break through the fear and trouble. We can actively remind ourselves of this truth by speaking it in our minds or out loud.

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3. Stop and pray immediately and consistently.

One of the healthiest ways we can ease our troubled hearts is to pray.

Prayer is a time to pour out your craziest fears to Jesus. You don’t have to hold back about the things worrying you, even though you know they shouldn’t. It’s not a time to clean yourself up and get your act together. You can freely fall apart and share the things you would never dare to utter out loud.

Yes, he already knows what you’re thinking, but he wants you to lay your burdens at his feet. And to lay them at his feet you have to share them.

You might find yourself going back to prayer again and again for the same worry. That’s a good thing. I always love the idea of praying about something and letting it stay there, at the feet of Jesus. But it normally pops back up in my mind and goes on a rampage. Pray as often as you need to wherever you are.

I have found myself lying wide awake at night concerned about some minor thing that I need to take care of tomorrow. At 2 a.m., there’s nothing I can do about it. So I just pray for God to help me set it aside for now and remember tomorrow.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your worry is. Give it to him in prayer. And when you pray, truly pray. For me, it means stop. Yes, I can say a prayer while I’m driving on the freeway or while I’m sending out an email, but my whole self is not focused on that prayer. I’ve learned that I need to stop when I’m able. Allow yourself to truly be in the moment and surrender your trouble to Jesus.

 

4. Use Scripture to remind your heart of God’s promises.

If we believe the Bible is the revealed Word of God given to show us how to be like Christ, then we should use it often. We shouldn’t know only the general truths of Scripture, such as “God will care and provide for you.” We should know how he promises to care for us and provide for us.

The greatest defense against worries that bubble up daily is Scripture. It’s through the Word of God that our minds are renewed. We begin to wash our thoughts with his truth and rid them of the falsehoods we concoct in our minds or what others tell us to believe.

That’s why God called his people to put his Word in their hearts and to write it on their minds (Deuteronomy 11:18).

The word of God has power. For that power to be active in our lives, we have to know the Word. Try memorizing a few verses and speaking them aloud. In those moments of trouble and worry, you’ll be ready to renew your heart by speaking Scripture to yourself.

Jesus never intended for our hearts to be worried and troubled. Is it part of life? Yes. But it’s not a place we have to live. You and I can look to Jesus for a present peace during trouble.

One day, when Jesus returns, we will be free of all trouble. But we don’t have to wait until that day to rest in his peace.

So take a deep breath, look up, and believe: everything will be fine.

 

Let not your heart be troubled Bible verses (ESV)

John 14:1-31

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …

John 14:1-3

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 5:17

But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 14:1

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Matthew 24:6

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

Revelation 4:4

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

Romans 8:35-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 16:17

So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”

John 14:18

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Psalm 51:17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 42:5

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

James 5:8

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord, is at hand.

James 1:23-24

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

2 Thessalonians 2:1

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Philippians 4:5

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;

Philippians 1:23

I am hard-pressed between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Galatians 6:14

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Galatians 6:1-18

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his load. …

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Acts 1:11

And said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

John 16:30

Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”

John 16:29

His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!

John 14:31

But I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

John 13:31

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

Luke 22:30

That you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 2:10

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Matthew 25:1-46

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …

Matthew 24:36

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Matthew 13:22

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Genesis 26:22

And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

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