I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14: 25-27)
Feeling troubled and afraid are natural human emotions. Telling someone not to be troubled or upset when they’re in the middle of a crisis and scared to death is like telling a toddler to “just calm down,” when she’s anxious or feels threatened and overwhelmed by a perceived threat that she can’t control. Surely Jesus knew this. Of course he did! Oh, how well he knew this!
His words in these verses are a “recap” of what he’s been telling them all along, but he says it all again. He knows full well that, when their mettle is tested – and it’s about to be – they’ll need a fresh reminder that a Helper is on the way. God will send the Holy Spirit to them, in Jesus’ name.
Hearts that are troubled need peace that the Holy Spirit brings. Hearts that tremble in fear need the Comforter’s consolation. Hearts that are afraid need reminding that our Lord has overcome the Adversary and all his minions who work to rob us of the peace that Christ offers. Anxious hearts need reminding that the grace of God, through the Spirit of Jesus, covers us in the present, but also goes before us to sustain us in the future.
When your heart is troubled, or afraid, or you feel unsettled by the chaos and alarm of the world, feel your human emotions. Pray that God will open the eyes of your heart and allow you to see, through faith, that the Source of your peace is already there, abiding in you.