Don’t Let Your Heart Be Troubled - Your Daily Forward Devotional

Don’t Let Your Heart Be Troubled

March 25

Read John 14:1-4 (ESV)

“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.”

Reflect

What often troubles your heart? How does today’s passage give you hope?

Trouble. This world is full of it. When we get to John 16:33, we’ll see that Jesus warned us that we will have trouble in this world. But, He gave some encouragement along with the warning: “...take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In today’s passage, Jesus told His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. But He knew their worlds were about to get very troublesome. Their Teacher was about to be betrayed and arrested. His trial was a sham and He would be crucified.

Besides that, Jesus had already said and done some very troubling things. He started the week riding into Jerusalem like the conquering king they thought He was. Now, He’s saying things like He’ll only be with them a little longer and where He is going they can’t come along (John 13:33). Their Messiah was going to die? That didn’t compute in their minds. He also warned them that one of them was about to betray Him (John 13:3-5) and that even Peter was going to deny Him (John 13:38).

So, Jesus’ disciples were already very troubled and it was about to get even more troubling. The antidote for their anxiety was to believe in God, believe in Jesus, and believe that where Jesus is going, they will also be one day. Faith and hope correctly placed in Christ was the cure that Jesus prescribed.

It is the same cure for our troubled hearts even today. This world is troubling. We all have worries, fears, trials, tribulations…Oftentimes, what God allows in our lives is not at all what we expected. In those times, we have to believe that what Jesus said is true. We have to trust Him and the Father who sent Him. He went to prepare a place for us! He is coming back again to take us to Himself!

Friend, don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in our Lord Jesus Christ. He went to prepare a place for us and He is coming back to get us. So, yes. This world is full of trouble. But He has overcome the world (John 16:33) and because we are His we overcome as well.

Respond

Lord, this world is often very troubling. But I believe in God and I believe in You. I put my faith and hope in You and Your promise that You are preparing a place for me. Return quickly, Lord, and take me to be with You. Amen.

Reveal: Do you know someone with a troubled heart that could use a reminder to trust in the Lord and His promise in John 14:1-4? Share His promise with them today!

~ Pastor Nat Crawford