Scripture

John 14:1 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

Consider

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. It has been said that if you truly believe this very first sentence in Genesis, then you will have no trouble believing the rest of the Bible.

Furthermore, if you believe with all your mind and heart that God is good, faithful, and just, then it will be easier for you to relinquish control over your circumstances. This truth is especially important when you are dealing with a frustrating, hurtful, or destructive relationship, and you don’t know what to do next.

Difficult relationships can trouble us by causing us to feel angry, anxious, or afraid.. In each case, Jesus says, the cure for your troubled heart is to put your belief in God first, allowing your faith to reframe your circumstances and show you the right way to respond. For example:

We may become ANGRY when someone violates our rules of right conduct, deceiving or cheating us or causing us physical or emotional harm. BELIEVING IN GOD means trusting that God is not only with us in our hurt and suffering but also sovereign over the relationship and will see justice done according to God’s own desires, not ours.

We may become ANXIOUS when our relationship feels out of control, when we’ve done all we can do on our own power but cannot manage the problems or make things come out right. BELIEVING IN GOD relieves us of responsibility for managing the outcome or changing the other person’s heart or behavior. Praying instead of worrying helps us rest in the assurance that God can manage what we cannot.

We may become AFRAID when we feel exposed and vulnerable to physical or emotional harm, or when change threatens what’s familiar and predictable. BELIEVING IN GOD gives us a firm place to stand and face the threat with the assurance that God always stands with us. We trust that God has a plan for our lives and will use even this relationship to teach us, strengthen us, and somehow accomplish a good work through a bad situation.

Given all these assurances, what if our faith in God still isn’t strong enough to counteract our anger, anxiety, or fear? Jesus gives us the answer at the end of the verse: Believe also in me.

Jesus came to earth to show us the Father in his life and miracles. When we follow Jesus, he becomes our bridge to deeper faith in God and our model for living under God’s benevolent rule, even in our most difficult relationships.

Pray

Heavenly Father, I confess that I often react to relationship conflict in hurtful or ineffective ways because I am either angry at someone’s treatment of me, anxious because I don’t know how to resolve a difficulty, or afraid of the danger that somehow threatens me. Thank you for sending Jesus, who knew anger and fear and anxiety yet always surrendered his situation to your sovereign care. Give me faith to follow in his trusting footsteps.

Reflect

Matthew 11:27; John 14:6-7

Ponder

How might a strong belief in God help me deal with a conflict in my life?