How often do we read Jesus say, "Do not let your hearts be troubled," and think of it as optional? Though this statement is both an invitation, and a comfort, it is also a command. So many times it's easy to talk to Jesus and tell him, "But you don't understand. How cant I worry about this?" He does understand. More than we could ever imagine. We need to remember that this same man that tell us not to trouble is the man who wrestled with such conflict that he sweat blood.
In reality there are two kinds of peace. The counterfeit peace that comes from ignorance, and the true peace that only comes from Christ. The counterfeit peace comes in a lot of forms. It might come from friends, money, success, or simply from ignoring the things that disrupt our peace. I am in no way suggesting that friends, money, or success are inherently bad in any way, but they are things that can distract us from reaching out to obtain the true peace of Christ. The difference between the two types of peace is that the peace of Christ can never be taken away by circumstance, while counterfeit peace depends on circumstance.
That is why Christ says the man who hears his words and puts them into practice builds his house on the stone and can endure the storms of life. God will continue to bring storms into our lives to show us how counterfeit our peace is, and he will continue to blow our houses down until we finally decide to build on the rock. But take heart, and remember that these trials are for our own good, and they come from his desire that we know him better, so that in the end, our testimony is not choked out by the troubles of this world (Matt 13:3-23).
So brothers and sisters, remember: Do not let your hearts be troubled.
-Jon
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