John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?

Scripture deals with a lot of difficult moments throughout time. We see wars, persecutions, famines, and the like. We also see the Lord wanting to protect His people and encourage them. We see Him give His people peace in the midst of turmoil, and hope in the midst of judgment. Especially as I read through John, I see this trend of Jesus desiring for His disciples to be encouraged despite the surmounting voices around them telling them they are wrong for following Jesus. Jesus went against the grain and His disciples walked in the shadow of that. As Jesus is preparing to depart, the disciples will have to carry that on their own. A daunting task when you had the literal Son of God on your side. Jesus makes it clear that you still do.

I know for myself, the decisions and choices I have made in following after the Lord with a whole and sincere heart have been questioned by many well intended believers. Either they have an idea of Jesus in their head that how I walk just doesn't fit, or they have experienced Jesus in a unique way that they think applies to all people. Regardless of the reason, I have faced a lot of backlash in my obedience to the Lord. When I see passages like this, I see how Jesus prepared His people to respond.

We are commanded to walk in love. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And through those, we are to accept His peace that He gives. As I think about verse 27 here, a few questions rattle me.

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
-John 14:27

As someone who has dealt with chronic anxiety and a few different anxiety disorders, the question immediately occurs to me: how do you just not let your heart be troubled or afraid? The Lord has shown me a reality about fear. Fear involves focus. I've seen people become paralyzed with fear when walking into a room and seeing a spider on the wall. They can think of no solution. They don't want to take their eyes off of the object of their fear because it may move closer or attack. They often require someone else to deal with it, but even then, you will find that after it has been dealt with, that same person will continue to let their eyes drift back looking to the object of their fear. Such is the dominating, oppressive nature of fear. Fortunately for us, Jesus does not just tell us to not be troubled or be afraid. He gives us the new object of our focus first.

Jesus gives His disciples His own peace. That peace is carried in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us. It is so evident throughout Scripture that the Lord desires for you to have peace. I don't know who needs to hear this, but the Lord does not want you to be anxious. He did not give you anxiety. He has not placed that in your heart. He desires for you to be free from that. Look at this following passage.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22-23

This is what the Spirit produces in us. The Spirit does not produce fear, angst, worry, or condemnation. On the contrary...

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus...
-Romans 8:1

The Spirit may convict, but He convicts to draw you near. Drawing near to God will bring about peace. The enemy has lied and deceived so many of us to believe that the Lord will not accept us or simply wants to scold us. Do we really believe that Almighty God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that when we come face to face with Him for the first time He will have a scowl on His face? Or will He be rejoicing that the one He has reconciled to Himself is present with Him for all of eternity?

I want to offer you this section of Scripture concerning the peace of God in our lives as well.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
-Philippians 4:4-9

The Lord so kindly and graciously always offers us a way of escape from temptation. When you have a temptation to fear because of the enemy's deceit, the Lord provides a way out from it. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

I know this was a longer devotion than normal, but I firmly believe the Lord has something for us all in this. As we start the New Year, let us start with having our eyes set upon Jesus. Reject the attitude of fear that the enemy has cultivated in us. Confess that the Lord does not desire our anxiety. He desires our peace. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever and ever! And Happy New Year!