Trouble & Trust

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.” John 14:1

This started off our scripture reading at my church last Sunday. I have pondered it over and over this week. During the last couple of years, it’s a little easier (sometimes a lot easier) for my heart to be troubled. Things are just amped up, and that intensity seems to breed trouble. Jesus says the scripture above in the 14th chapter of John’s Gospel. He’s introducing the idea of going away to prepare a place for the disciples. Following this statement, a couple disciples ask Him questions, and He answers them with some beautiful, powerful realities:

“I am the way, the truth, the life!”

“If you have come to know Me, you will know My Father also.”

“I tell you, he who puts his trust in Me, the works I do he will do; and greater than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

I like looking at this scripture portion because of the attention grabbing opener, the way the disciples ask Jesus about it, and the way He answers them. Each question stretches toward an understanding being answered with more stretching answers. Jesus sets the stage for them to understand “greater things,” such as that the things He does are the things His Father does. The real life of Jesus they have experienced with Him has created a trusting relationship, and He wants the disciples to trust in God in the same way. 

I think sometimes we can lean more toward obedience than trust. In its most succinct form, obedience for me goes something like this: “I’d better get this right.” It has a bit (or a lot) of pressure with it. In some situations “getting it right” gets the upper hand, with trust being a passing thought or maybe even nonexistent. On the other hand, trust is built relationally, conversationally, with lots of one-on-one’s, over time, in His Presence. That was true then and is still true today. Just look at those answers Jesus gives. He doesn’t give them a list of things to do, rather He focuses more on what He and the Father are doing and invites the disciples to enter more deeply into trust—trust of Him and trust of His Father—and to come and do “greater things.”

This month, ONE has been offering several ONE Days, days to connect, grow, heal, and reset in relationship to the last two years. They are days of conversation with Jesus, not unlike that with Thomas and Philip above. If you would like to build some trust through relational time with Jesus and brothers and sisters who share that desire, please come and join us. 

Click here for more details on the upcoming ONE Days.