Rochester, MN UCC - "A Balm for Troubled Hearts" - John 14:23-29

“Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Jesus gives these words of advice to his disciples on his final night with them. Being unafraid and at peace are certainly desirable goals. Yet in our present moment, when we are troubled by so much and so many have genuine reason to fear, saying such things seems far easier than doing them. How are we to resist fear? How are we to find peace in our hearts?

 Jesus gives these words of advice immediately after telling his followers that although he is going ahead of them to the Father, the Holy Spirit is coming to them. “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.” Jesus has promised that God will be present with us in the Holy Spirit, and that this presence will bring God’s peace to us. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” The Holy Spirit is the very peace of God given to us.

 When our hearts are troubled, it is helpful to remember the gift of the Holy Spirit and the peace offered to us in Her. Prayer and worship are practices the church has used for millennia precisely because they focus our attention on the presence of the Holy Spirit and allow it to guide us to the doing of God’s will. Prayer is not merely asking for God’s help, it is also experiencing God’s help. Prayer is rooting yourself in the peace of the Holy Spirit, allowing God to make a home within you. A regular practice of prayer and worship can help you to feel peace within your heart and remain unafraid even in the midst of deeply troubling and fearful times. May God help each of us to seek out the presence of the Spirit, and may we all find ourselves more and more rooted in the peace of God.  Amen.

 Pastor Andrew Greenhaw