TROUBLED

People are troubled from time to time over many kinds of things. The king of Syria was troubled when he thought some of his men were informing the enemy against him (2 Kings 6:11).

Jehoshaphat was worried about a battle, but God spoke to him not to let his heart be troubled because God would be with him in the battle. (2 Chronicles 20:17)

Jeremiah’s innards were troubled when the Jewish people and he had rebellion in their hearts against God and were suffering for their sin. There was no sorrow like their sorrow. (Lamentations 1)

Daniel’s thoughts troubled him and his face reflected his pain. (Daniel 7:28)

In the upper room the eleven disciples were waiting to find out what was going to happen next after Jesus died but their terror was replaced by faith when Jesus appeared to them and offered to let them touch his wounds (Luke 24:38)

Our hearts get troubled when we imagine things we label as bad before they actually become a reality.

Jesus in John 14 urged his disciples even before he went to the cross not to worry, not to let their hearts be troubled. Don’t let their evil thoughts cost them their victory. He said, in John 14:1 You believe in God, believe also in me. John 14 begins and ends with the admonition, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” 

Fear is not God’s plan for our lives (1 John 4:18) and He tells us not to let fear rule our hearts, let not our hearts be troubled. Sounds so easy. Most people will tell you taking control of your thoughts is not easy. 

Once someone told me to try this little experiment. Start counting to yourself from one to 100 but after only a few seconds, they said, “Say your name aloud” When I did the counting stopped. They pointed out to me the brain must quit (counting) to hear what the voice has to say. It is a blessing in situations where our hearts are troubled. “Take no thought, saying . . . “(Matthew 6:25, 28, 31, 34; Matthew 10:19) Don’t worry. Don’t let your heart be troubled. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45) God the father gave us the example in Genesis 1 when his spirit hovered over the face of the deep – he thought about what he was doing and then he spoke, “Let there be light” and John 1 reveals the Word was actually God’s son who took on flesh and became a man.

James 3 gives us hope in that if we can control our tongues, we can control our whole bodies. Still we know we can of ourselves do nothing (John 5:30) but we can do all things through Christ (The Word) which strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

We must be wise in what we let pass our lips. Harry D. Clarke wrote it this way in his children’s chorus that has stilled many an adults’ heart:

Let go and let God have his wonderful way

Let go and let God have his way

Your burdens will vanish your night turn to day

Let Go and let God have his way

(Enter into His rest. Matthew 11:28 – 30)