Do you think Jesus ever felt like he was being tested? It probably would have been at the last supper if it was at any point in Jesus's life. If you think about it, Jesus was about to be betrayed by one of his twelve, which would send him to the cross. The one he chose to be his leader, the rock of His church, Peter, would deny him three times, and the rest of the disciples would scatter and disappear. Who could Jesus depend on in times like this? Have you ever felt like this, abandoned by your closest loved ones?
Jesus shows us such incredible strength and courage. He never really blinked an eye; he completely focused on his disciples. Jesus had told them at dinner in John 13:33, "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
When Jesus tells his disciples that they cannot follow him right now, this creates such anxiety in them; they are confused and upset. They do not understand what's happening. They have been with Jesus for over three years now and do not understand this turn of events. So, Jesus tries to comfort them in John 14:1-14 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Do not let your heart be troubled, Jesus says to his anxious disciples. He is focused on their reaction to what will happen next, not on what will happen to him the next day. He's trying to fill them up with some understanding that he is not far away from them even if he is not physically present with them; he will be with them always. When you believe in God and Jesus, there is no need to be worried or troubled trust in what you know and trust in whose you are.
This is good news for us all, as well. Jesus is not far away from us now. When you are a Christian and believe in God, you have all you need in your survival kit. So, what do we do with all our worries and troubles when they come? Like Jesus says in John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.
This is a process I'm still learning. When I get anxious, I realize I must give it all to God and let him care for what I cannot. I close my eyes and imagine myself holding a basket. I start putting all my troubles and worries in my basket. All the things I cannot do anything about, and when I'm done, I imagine myself going to the foot of the cross and leaving my basket there. I tell God, "Thank you for taking care of all my problems and troubles, Lord. Thank you for doing what I cannot do. I leave them all with you, Lord, to do your will with them." Then I feel this peace about giving it to God. It's in his capable hands to do his will. I get to go and enjoy my day, knowing it's all taken care of. Maybe not at that moment, but He will take care of it somewhere in God's perfect timing.
It's not easy to do sometimes, it takes persistence to focus on leaving things with Jesus, but it's worth it. Because we need to let Him deal with certain things and certain people, only God can handle specific problems in our lives. It's hard to realize that sometimes, but when we do, we give it to Him. The peace that can come over us is amazing. Let God drive for a while. Let Him call the shots. Enjoy your life and give the tough stuff to Him. It's all part of growing in our faith; this is how we learn to trust Him daily. Let your hearts not be troubled; it's time to lean into the Lord. Amen
Let's pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your peace, Lord. Thank you that we can lean on you and give you our troubles. We do not have to fix everything in our lives or always be in control of everything, and we have to trust you and let you be part of our daily activity for you to show up and be in our lives. Thank you, Lord, for being part of our daily lives. Showing us how much you love us and want the best for us. We love you, Lord. In Jesus Holy name, we pray. Amen.
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