“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.”— John 14:27
For several years a woman had been having trouble getting to sleep at night because she feared burglars. Her husband did what he could to comfort her, but the woman simply could not let go of her fear. So night after night, she lay awake anxiously listening for the slightest sound of a break-in.
Then, one night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he stepped into the kitchen and flipped on the light, he was surprised to find a burglar standing in front of him.
Without alarm, the husband said cheerfully, “Good evening, I’m so happy you’ve come. Could you follow me upstairs and say hi to my wife? Because she’s been waiting 10 years to meet you!”
We waste a lot of time worrying irrationally about things that likely won’t happen. But worry isn’t rational, is it? Worry is not about thinking through the probability of certain events. It’s a sickness of the heart. It’s a spiritual fog the settles into your life and blinds you from seeing the God clearly.
The remedy to worry is not to avoid the very thing that fills you with anxiety, it’s to place your trust in the One who promises to hold you in His perfect peace no matter what you’re facing.
So listen today to the words of your Savior and do not let your heart be troubled. Place your faith in the One who holds your life firmly in His loving hands.
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to drive worry from your heart. And pray for the faith to trust Him no matter what circumstances you face.
Questions for thought
How does worry cripple your ability to live boldly for Jesus?
What are some issues you’ve been worrying over that you can give to God today?