An UnTroubled Heart

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (Jesus)

John 14:1 (ESV)

Popular opinion tells us there is not much we can do if our hearts are troubled. Having a troubled heart is not your fault, bless your heart. 

This scripture says otherwise.

“Let not your hearts be troubled.”

If we can “let not our hearts be troubled,” then we can “let our hearts be troubled.”

We have a choice concerning the condition of our hearts.

Trouble is going to come to us. We have no control over that. When trouble sneaks up on us; we can send it away or we can welcome it and nurse it until we have a full grown disaster.

So, what can we do to keep our hearts from being troubled? Jesus tells us in the last half of this verse.

“Believe in God; believe also in me.”

When we find out what God’s Word says about the trouble, and trust in what Jesus has done for us, we can leave the trouble behind us.

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

Proverbs 4:23 (AMPC)

We have the responsibility to guard our hearts.

I like how The Passion Translation says it:

“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.”

How do we guard the affections of our hearts? The answer is God’s Word. Hint: the answer is always God’s Word.

“My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.”

Proverbs 4:20, 21 (ESV)

Jesus prayed this prayer for His people:

“I am not asking that you remove them from the world, but I ask that you guard their hearts from evil, for they no longer belong to this world any more than I do. Your Word is truth! So make them holy by the truth.”

John 17:15-17 (TPT)

Jesus confirms that the way we guard our hearts is by the truth of God’s Word.

Reading, listening and speaking God’s Word is our number one assignment. 

What we do NOT listen to comes in at a close second. We have to shut off many outside voices. I do not advocate hiding under a rock, but I do encourage minimal inupt from unbelievers, whether its media or personal contact. We are in the world, but we are clearly not of it, and we want to keep that straight.

“And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.”

Colossians 3:2 (AMPC)

The Living Bible says it this way:

“Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here.”

We tell our hearts what to do. Our hearts should not control us; we should control our hearts. 

Jesus would not tell us to do something we cannot do. When trouble comes knocking at our heart’s door, we must not let it in.

We can live in a troubled world with an untroubled heart.