Don’t let your heart be troubled

March 12, 2007

By Dorothy Rugg

John 14:1 tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me” (NIV).

Do you ever wonder about that? How can you and I not let our hearts be troubled when seemingly all around us there is trouble? One of the key components to our struggle with fear is our lack of trust, our lack of belief in God. The Scripture tells us to TRUST. But we ponder fears like “Will God take care of me?” “Can I really trust God with everything?” “Can I really believe God for these situations in my life?”

Jesus offered His comforting words to His disciples right after He told them of the betrayal to come and the things that would happen to Him. Jesus knew of His upcoming death, but He was offering to His disciples HOPE — hope to keep going, hope to keep trusting, hope to keep believing they could trust God no matter what.

So what do we do when we feel our heart troubling us, when we start worrying about situations we are facing, or how are we going to make it, or why something is happening to us?

At such times, we need to look to the WORD for strength and support.

Consider these promises from God’s Word:

• “The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

• “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8).

• “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

• “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want” (Psalm 23:1).

• “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4).

Friend, I want to encourage you — God loves you. He is a good Father; He created you; He knows you; He cares for you; He longs for you to trust Him.

James and Dorothy Rugg pastor Mill City Assembly of God in Dalton, Pa.