This verse is an imperative...a command, not an option. Yet, even as a command, they are the most gentle and loving words given, because when you understand the character of God, these words come wrapped up in so much love.....a love that desires only the very best for us.Prior to Jesus sharing these words, He had just revealed to his disciples that He was about to leave them (Chapter 13). The result of them hearing that bad news upset them and troubled their hearts, as could be the case in any kind of bad news or situation.....yet Jesus is telling them NOT to be troubled, despite the circumstances about to take place (or the any difficult circumstances you may find yourself in). The Lord is concerned with every emotion that we experience. He desires us to stay focused on reality rather than temporal situations....and the reality is Victory in Him. The greatest victory of all time was about to occur via the most horrendous means. So often we are unable to see the victory because our eyes become focused on the temporal instead of the eternal. We cease to see the big picture and become insecure in our faith as to who is really in charge. TAKE JOY......GOD DOES HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL.
The amazing thing about these words is that Jesus knew all that was about to take place. He knew the torture and torment that He was about to endure, but where were His thoughts and concerns? On the welfare of those He so loved. His attention was on His friends. (John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.)Even on the cross, enduring excruciating pain, He turned His loving attention to the suffering thief who was dying beside Him....loving Him enough to ensure Him that He would be ok; letting Him know that he would be with Him that very day in Paradise. The God-love is never a self love, but an "other" love. It is always a love that gives. Our God is the God of all comfort. Stress is the biggest killer in the world today. It is stress that brings on every kind of sickness and disease. If we don't catch a hold of what it means to have peace, even the Prince of Peace who is our very being...Christ in us as us....then we will always be moved by the surrounding circumstances of life. The one thing we need to be convinced of is that circumstances are "always" temporal, but God's love and peace are eternal. Get that truth in you. There is nothing that takes God by surprise. Rest in the truth that He is now leading your life, and rest in the truth of His eternal love for you, that works out ALL things for your good.
There are so many things that test us in this life, and if we don't understand our identity....who it is that is really in charge, living His life through us, then we can become overwhelmed and stressed at every corner. Accidents, illness, disappointments, financial loss, business difficulties, wars, death....are some of the things, just to name a few that would rob our peace and trouble our hearts....but this can only happen if we forget who we really are and begin to walk in who we once were. All these things come to "test" us in this life. We would never become strong and secure in our faith without such testings. We "cannot" avoid these things. They are a part of life.
You cannot obtain or maintain an untroubled heart through optimistic thinking or any kind of human self-effort. It just cannot be done. The ONLY THING that can keep your heart from being troubled and that can keep you walking in peace, is Jesus.....knowing what He has accomplished for you at the cross. We are not just told in God's word to trust in Jesus. We are told that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33), there will be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6). The Gospel doesn't try to make us forget our problems, but to realize that there is a problem solver, and guess what? IT ISN'T YOU! Jesus said, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
How did He overcome the world? By willing to become man in all his humanity....suffer the garden agony, the trial and cruel death of the cross. To have His body broken for you, to die in utter despair crying, "Father, Father, Why have you forsaken me?" Of course, Father never really forsook Jesus. He was right there on that cross with Him...for they were fully and completely ONE, yet the Son part of the triune God became man in all his humanity, and in so doing, He felt as a man would feel....totally abandoned and separated from the Father because of OUR SIN which He willingly and voluntarily took upon Himself.
To deal with the trouble of our physical hearts and the anguish we can often feel due to the trials of life, one of the first things we need to do is to take hold of our emotions. So many live by what they feel instead of living by faith. Do not embrace defeat. Begin from the point of VICTORY. We do not have to submit to defeat and discouragement. That is a choice. The point of victory is to "believe." Jesus said, "Believe in God, believe "also in Me." He's saying "trust Me." Trust in my "finished work". Trust that I have triumphed and overcome the world on your behalf. Trust that we are now "ONE". There is no longer two....but "ONE" essence, Jesus, who lives in our physical body. We are the human tent that He indwells, and as we yield, He lives His life and purpose through us. It is NO LONGER I, but Him doing the living (Gal.2:20).
I know it is a mind boggling thing, but it is truth.....We are now completely ONE with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no longer any separation. If we encounter a difficult situation, trial or test in this life....so does HE. We are never alone in any of it. God is a constant in our lives and see's the big picture. He has it all worked out before anything ever happens that could cause us discouragement or stress. Our job is to believe that, and to rest as He does His work in bringing us through each and every situation that arises. The more we come to KNOW Him and receive revelation of this wonderful message of Grace and Christ's finished work, the more we walk in the peace and rest that He so lovingly has given us. It's all ours. Heaven dwells inside of us. All of it's possessions are at our disposal, and all we have to do is "believe." It is so easy....something we just DO. Like a child standing on a high rock ready to jump, and the Daddy says, "Go ahead, I will catch you." The child doesn't even have to think about it. They trust Daddy....so, they jump in FULL ASSURANCE that He will catch them. And He always does! Trust Him in your circumstances today. Trust in His love for you. He will never let you down....NEVER!
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