Jesus once said to his disciples, "Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1)." In the Message Bible, Eugene Peterson translates Jesus' statement this way: "Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me."
Jesus tells his disciples to not allow their hearts to become "troubled." This word means: disturbed, upset, terrified, frightened, stirred up (like water), agitated, inward commotion, loss of calmness of mind, filled with fear or dread, anxious, perplexed, distressed, or thrown by doubts.
Instead, Jesus tells us to trust in God and in Him. He wants us as his followers to place our confidence in Him – to believe in, to commit to, and to entrust our life to Him.
What are you troubled about right now?
It didn't take me long to come up with a list of at least seven things that have been on my heart recently. Sometimes just writing them out can be helpful, as it allows you to see where your worry or concern has been directed. Then we can bring each one of them to Jesus … trusting Him with them.
Later on, Jesus said this:
John 14:13-14. I
tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have
done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I
will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for
anything in my name, and I will do it! NLT
What do you want to ask Jesus for right now?
Make a list and bring them prayerfully before Him.
The apostle Paul builds on this teaching of Jesus about refusing to allow our hearts to be troubled, but rather to trust in God and brings our request to him. He puts it this way:
Philippians 4:6-7. Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. MB
I love that – "shape your worries into prayers!"
Try it … it can really make a difference in your daily life.