“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

In the NIV bible this section is literally labeled “Jesus Comforts His Disciples,” and how true this is. Christ Jesus knows what is heavy on our hearts, He has intimate familiarity with His creation and the magnitude of hardships we may be living through. Yet, He starts this message of comfort simply with the words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” And His reasoning behind this simple statement is just as concise. He acknowledges that His disciples know God, but adds now “believe also in me.” Jesus is saying that His comfort is available to all. And as evidence, Jesus describes a little bit about our heavenly homes. Not with any great detail, but still reassures us that through faith in the Son we will enjoy eternity with the Father. Jesus is telling us that His word is truth, and what He tells about the coming days will in fact be the case. Jesus will return and collect His believers to be with Him in the Father house. So in all of this, Jesus’ comfort comes not from troubles being magically removed from our lives. But from the hope we have in trusting the truth of God’s word. The peace that Jesus is the “way and the truth and the life. [And] No one comes to the Father except through [Jesus].” (John 14:6) All of this is obtained by believing in Jesus. And with that belief, know that His words are true. Christ will return and restore all to God’s original design. We will have peace in Jesus Christ. So as John recorded, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”