From Forward Day by Day
John 14:27b I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
The world gives plenty of advice when our hearts are troubled, not all of it helpful.
Life is hard. People we love hurt us. Grief appears in our lives. The brutalities of inequality weigh upon us. We feel lost, alone, even abandoned. And all of these troubles change us.
Our heart’s response to hardships can be that we become less trusting, more brittle, more fearful—all initial and reasonable responses to the deep wounds of life. The world might encourage us to develop a tough soul.
Jesus offers us another step in the journey when we are troubled and wounded. He reminds us that troubles do not have the last word, nor do they have to make our hearts brittle and fearful.
Jesus reminds our hearts to welcome peace, love, and new life. Yes, life is hard. Our hearts will be bruised and troubled. And yet Jesus reminds us not to stop there. God transforms troubles, wounds, even our grief, into something new.
Join more than a half million readers worldwide who use Forward Day by Day as a resource for daily prayer and Bible study.
