Let not your HEARTS be TROUBLED

John 14 is a chapter of PEACE - resilient peace in the chaos of the world.  Peace is not absence from chaos- the world is tarnished and broken, peace from CHRIST is HIS presence to stand with us, guide us, fortify us and lead us to sow peace in anger, love in despair, hope in barren deserts, water out of drought, light in deep darkness.  Only God can heal the world - we must allow The Holy Spirit to ABIDE in us and guide us in the direction of Christ so we can transform the world through the spirit of grace, love and good works.  While we are never able to heal all wounds and divisions on this earthly realm - we must do what we can in love.

In John 14 - Jesus gives a guidepost for how to invite him into our lives and how to actively LIVE by HIS WORD.

The crux of our faith and our work through The Spirit must be built on a foundation of casting all fears on the shoulders of Christ for HE cares for us.  We cannot be double minded when we do this - we have to fully submit our worries to God - God is willing to completely cleanse all of our worry and heal us.

I am the first one to doubt - how can Christ heal my worry when I have REAL WORLD troubles - debt, persecution, disease, hunger...the problems of the world are long - the desperation of lack is a worldwide problem of grief and suffering.

It is important to recognize the difference between worry and concern.  A concern is a valid recognition of a harsh and difficult circumstance...worry stems from fear and anxiety.  Fear paralyzes us - concerns make us empathetic and call us to action and prayer - worry leaves us in a state of confusion and hopelessness.

In the finite temporal world we get lost in details and we let problems control us - I do this all the time.  We all do - and worry circles around over and over with no solutions - like treading tumultuous waters - we barely stay afloat - not able to swim ashore.

Let not your hearts be troubled - in relinquishing worry to Christ we open our minds up to solutions and to an eternal perspective.  We open our hearts to healing instead of allowing worry to stab us with bitterness - we allow Christ to shed HIS precious blood and tears of love to heal us - instead of locking away our injured hearts - we give our troubles - our DIS-EASE to God - the divine physician.

Trouble is always pounding at our door.  The devil wants us to focus on trouble - to drag us into sinking sand - pulling us in the undertow so we suffocate in fear and worry - God calls us to find peace and resiliency in storms. In Christ's PEACE we discover joy and hope even in the aphotic darkness - God's LIGHT shines through and the Holy Spirit is an anchor of the soul in choppy waters.

In our worldly view we equate trouble with lack and suffering - and this is a part of trouble, but a Christian's paramount focus is the trouble of the soul - if you have peace in your soul through CHRIST you can weather all storms.

I am going to spend the next few posts focusing on John 14.

Goals for your SOUL:
~Ask Jesus and the Holy Trinity to make a home with you - to be your sure foundation and your life boat in all the storms of life.
~ Repent of your sins - worry though not a direct sin - can lead to the sin of bitterness and anger - because worry focuses on worldly lack instead of an abundant life in Christ's love and the SPIRIT of TRUTH (Holy Spirit)
~ Meditate on what binds you in worry - what negative thought patterns you have and look inward (even if it cuts you with temporal pain - as you navigate the emotional baggage of past loss and betrayal) analyze the root causes of some of your worry - pray to God to help you on this journey, pray for healing and cleansing of all negative emotions
~FORGIVE your enemies.  This took me a long time to learn.  Forgiving doesn't mean sweeping it under the rug and still silently and secretly clutching the bitterness - forgiveness means to completely turn over the anger to God.  This is not easy and we need God's help in forgiving - it helped when I came to the recognition that forgiveness does not excuse the sin - but rather relinquishes the burden of the pain to God - so we are not infected with the anger and betrayal of the person(s) who sought us harm.  I find this might take years to work through - so continually go to God and allow HIM to guide your forgiveness and to heal you.

Remember Christ is constant, an anchor for all times and we worship a God of faithful character - LOVE, Compassion and HOPE - he does not forsake those who ask for HIS help - in asking for God's help we cannot lose faith when we are waiting for results - we must also be open to God's doors - if one door opens and you feel the peace of the SPIRIT to walk through that door - even if it is scary you must walk in faith.  That does not mean you should go into a situation blindly, but pray for discernment and realize our plans might be best for our soul.

The Holy Trinity's primary focus is our soul and our salvation and the salvation of others - God wants to help us in worldly affairs and enjoys seeing us happy - I know God blessed me when I met Dean Smith and Tyler Hansborough in 2005 and 2009 respectively because I am a huge b-ball fan - God wants to hear about all of the desires of our heart, but he will never grant us what is not good for our soul.

I often have argued with God - I want action - I want change - I want help right this second - how could my father not provide for 'a, b and c' - and while what we may request might seem harmless - God knows what we need and will provide it - even in adversity and persecution - he never fails in protecting our soul - that is why it is so vital to NOT LET OUR HEARTS be TROUBLED because when we focus on worry instead of concern, fear instead of hope, we lose active empathy and we lose our sure foundation of faith - we turn our hearts from God and allow bitterness to cement our hearts in the stone of anger.  In anger there is no life.  In bitterness there is no light.

So do not allow bitterness to take root, even in trial, rather be strengthened by the eternal LOVE and merits of Christ's blood on the cross, for on the cross he took on our burdens and in HIS death came life everlasting and a Living HOPE that cannot - PEACE is with YOU in CHRIST and the SPIRIT of Truth.  Do not be troubled, be joyful in Christ's sacred heart of LOVE

Prayer:
Jesus,  I shout praises, raising the roof of worry to sing holy is your NAME.  Your word is a sacred bond and I know when trouble comes you are with us in the Spirit of Peace - we must willingly submit our worries to you, instead accepting the grace of peace eternal to fill our hearts with joy instead of doubt. Built our hearts in a sure foundation of love in YOUR SPIRIT, let us find peace in chaos and sow love in heartache - when we cast our worries onto you we are filled with the persevering strength of YOUR LOVE and an active empathy to plant seeds of faith, hope, charity and grace in this temporal world.  Relieve our anxieties, cleanse our hearts - with every heartbeat may the light of your peace be renewed in our souls and troubled lifted as far as the east is from the west - your Saving Grace can heal all the nations...Your sacred heart can purify the most wayward sinners and the blood of your sacrifice is a reminder in your death you suffered in the world - the world is temporary - the light of GOD reigns eternal and in HIS Glory we are renewed in a spirit of eternal peace.