Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.May the blessing of the Father who calls us and His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ who saves us, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies and transforms us be with us all, that we may hear His word and bear fruit—thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. Amen.
Beloved in Christ,
In the times we’re living in today, it’s no wonder that stress-related illnesses are so common. It only takes a few moments of watching the news, a phone call from a loved one, or a quiet moment with our own thoughts to feel the weight of anxiety pressing in.
The burdens are many—financial uncertainty, family tension, chronic illness, broken relationships, or even the secret battle within our own minds.
And sometimes, I wonder: Did God really believe we would have the strength to face this life?
But here’s the truth: He never expected us to carry the weight of this world on our own shoulders. He didn’t call us to be self-saviors. And yes, while being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from danger, it does mean that we can remain calm in the midst of chaos.
That’s not naïve—it’s obedient.
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
(John 14:1, NKJV)
So today, let us ask: What does this command mean, and how can we actually live it?
1. Jesus Doesn’t Just Comfort—He Commands
Jesus isn’t just offering a suggestion here. He gives a clear command. He doesn’t say, “Try not to worry,” but:
“Let not your heart be troubled.”
(John 14:1)
The Greek word ταρασσέσθω (tarassesthō) means to be agitated, disturbed, or shaken. But if Jesus commanded it, then it means it must be possible.
As St. Cyril of Alexandria writes:
“Notice the Lord’s wise manner of speaking: He prepares them by assuring them that He will forgive their weakness. Therefore, He does not say explicitly, ‘I know who among you is weak,’ nor does He tell them directly, ‘I will meet you again and reveal something worse’… Rather, He speaks in this way to plant both caution and hope within them.”
(Commentary on the Gospel of John, Homily on John 14:1)
He speaks gently—but with strength—to plant vigilance and hope before the storm comes.
And truly, beloved, we see this command echoed in a powerful scene:
“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’”
(Matthew 8:23–25, NKJV)
Even though Christ was present with them, the storm made them panic. But listen to His words:
“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
(Matthew 8:26, NKJV)
This is the same Jesus who says to us: “Let not your heart be troubled.”
2. Peace Is Not the Absence of Trouble—It Is the Presence of Christ
Christ never promised life would be safe. He said:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33, NKJV)
Peace isn’t found in the absence of the storm—but in the One who is with us in it.
St. Augustine said:
“Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
(Confessions, Book I)
So He says again:
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
(John 14:2–3, NKJV)
That is the promise of His eternal presence.
And remember the story of the three holy youth in the fire:
“Look! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
(Daniel 3:25, NKJV)
Christ didn’t remove them from the fire—He entered it with them.
3. Christian Mental Health Practice: Train the Heart Not to Panic
In counseling, we often say:
“You can’t control the first thought—but you can challenge the second.”
Fear may rise like a wave—but you don’t have to drown in it. Christ gives us the power to recenter.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6–7, NKJV)
Hannah did this.
After pouring out her heart at the temple in grief, Scripture says:
“So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.”
(1 Samuel 1:18, NKJV)
Her situation hadn’t changed, but her heart had found peace.
Here’s a simple practice:
- Breathe slowly and deeply. God gave you breath. (Genesis 2:7)
- Name what you feel. Don’t bury it—bring it to the light.
- Turn fear into prayer. “Lord, I’m scared—but I trust You.”
- Thank Him in advance for what He will do.
4. Remember Who You Belong To
St. John Chrysostom said:
“You fear because you forget Whose you are.”
(Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 75)
You are a child of the King.
Daniel knew this truth when he was thrown into the lions’ den:
“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me.”
(Daniel 6:22, NKJV)
He didn’t fear, because he remembered who was watching over him.
5. Let Praise Replace Panic
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:18, NKJV)
Praise isn’t a suggestion—it’s a spiritual weapon.
When anxiety creeps in, don’t hide—sing. Say Psalm 27 out loud:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?”
(Psalm 27:1, NKJV)
6. Fix Your Eyes on Eternity, Not Just the Storm
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.”
(2 Corinthians 4:17–18, NKJV)
That’s how St. Paul survived the storm. In Acts 27, with a ship about to break apart, he said:
“Take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.”
(Acts 27:25, NKJV)
He wasn’t clinging to the boat—he was clinging to God’s promise.
A Japanese Story: The Bamboo and the Storm
In Japanese culture, during typhoons, tall trees break—but bamboo bends. It sways, even lies flat—yet it rises again.
This isn’t weakness—it’s spiritual resilience.
“A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench.”
(Isaiah 42:3, NKJV)
Beloved, Christ isn’t asking us to be rigid in the storm. He’s asking us to bend in faith and rise again in grace.
To Those Who Grieve
To the mother who buried her child…
To the one who enters a room and hears no answer…
Christ sees you. Christ weeps with you.
He says to you:
“Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1)
“In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2, NKJV)
St. John Chrysostom says:
“When you lose someone who has died in Christ, don’t say you’ve lost them—say you’ve entrusted them to Christ.”
So grieve—but grieve with hope. The story is not over.
“I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3, NKJV)
Your reunion with your loved one is not a fading memory—it is a future appointment in the Kingdom of God.
Application: What to Do This Week
- Pause and breathe in Jesus’ name.
- Pray Philippians 4:6–7 aloud.
- Turn off anxious noise and meditate on John 14.
- Write down fears—and place them in your Bible.
- Thank God daily before sleep.
- Ask: Am I staring at the storm—or the Savior?
Final Word
So, let not your heart be troubled.
Not because you don’t feel the weight of sorrow.
But because Christ has overcome the grave, and love—real love—never dies.
May the Lord bless us, transform our hearts and minds, that our homes may stand on the Rock, our hands serve in the harvest, and our hearts long for Heaven. Amen.