Think about this for a minute:

In John Chapter 14 Jesus tells the disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  In other words, do not fear.

Okay you are thinking, He has said that before – what’s the big deal?  I will tell you what the big deal is.  The big deal is Jesus is saying it at the Last Supper.  He is hours away from being arrested, tried, crucified and killed.  He knows what is going to happen, the disciples do not.  So Jesus tells them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

“I am going to be arrested – but do not let your hearts be troubled.  I will face trials, some of them illegal trials – but do not let your hearts be troubled.  I will be convicted – but do not let your hearts be troubled.  I will be beaten almost to death – but do not let your hearts be troubled.  I will be nailed to a cross – but do not let your hearts be troubled.  I will die and you will have to bury Me – but do not let your hearts be troubled.”

There is a reason Jesus used that phrase, or a similar one, often.  It is because He knew that looking at the things He did from a purely human perspective, it is easy for us to let our hearts be troubled.  “You mean You want us to feed 5,000 men?” (trouble).  “We could not cast this demon out.” (trouble).  “We are going back to Jerusalem?” (trouble).  Above all those “incidents” Jesus is about to be taken away from them. (BIG TROUBLE!).  Jesus knows something they do not know, however.  He knows that the result of His death will allow them to have real relationship with the Father – the same kind of relationship He has with the Father.  He knows that three days after they bury Him, He will walk out of the grave alive again.  He has explained it to them before but they did not get it.  So Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Jump ahead to Elko, Nevada (or wherever you are reading this) in the year 2013.  Does Jesus still know what is happening?  Does He still know what will happen?  Yes, He most certainly does.  He knows every triumph and every defeat.  He knows your victory, and your disaster.  Jesus’ advice to you.  You guessed it. 

Certainly we are supposed to avoid the disasters in our lives (if possible), and yes, we should be honest about our thoughts and feelings.  However, we should not allow those thoughts and feelings to take root in our lives or drive us to do destructive (dumb) things.  After we have done all we can (having prayed FIRST), the only thing we have left to do is to trust that God has a plan for our lives, and do not let our hearts be troubled.