Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
-John 14:27, KJV
“Let NOT your heart be troubled…” (Emphasis mine)
This is a command from Jesus. A command that implies we have a choice. We get to choose to allow our hearts to be troubled or not.
We get to choose to allow disquieting thoughts to roost in our hearts or to tell them to be gone!
As someone who is prone to anxiety and worry, I understand obeying this command is not easy. It is hard work.
This is doubly so when dealing with infidelity.
Yet the command remains.
And it is empowering, I believe.
It reminds us that we do not have to let fear reign in our hearts. We can choose to trust God remembering and praying 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)–
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
When the Enemy tries to drive you to the ground with fear and anxiety, remember that verse. Use it as a prayer. Meditate on it….and watch as the Enemy flees!
We may not be able to keep all fear-inspiring thoughts from entering our minds, but we DO have the power to decide whether to meditation on them or to meditate on the fact that God is with us, loves us as His beloved child, and will never leave us (see Hebrews 13:5).
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*A version of this post ran previously.
