Troubled Hearts: Facing Our Fears

"Let not your hearts be troubled”. These are Jesus' words to you and to me in John 14:1.

But, in context from John 14, they were spoken by the Lord to His disciples as they gathered for the Passover meal. Why would Jesus tell His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled?

In John 13, Jesus had just washed the feet of the disciples. That is what most of us remember when we think of Chapter 13. But Jesus goes on to say that one of His disciples will betray Him. That is certainly not good news. But there is more. Then He tells them He is going away and where He is going, they cannot come. Ouch! Then to top it all off, Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him. Can you now see why Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled”?

So that is the trouble the disciples were facing then.  But remember, Jesus knew He was not only speaking to His disciples, but that you and I would read His Word in our day. So the question for us is, “What troubles and fears am I facing today?”

My wife, Shawn, and I were recently counseling with a young couple – the primary issue being the husband’s use of pornography. The husband is currently doing well in fighting this, but the wife is fearful of the future and of being deeply hurt again. What will happen if he begins to struggle again? Any wife can have honest fears about this – fears that can leave her feeling scared and alone.

Or maybe you can relate better to this example. I recently had a number of tests done on my heart related to some health issues I was experiencing. There were three weeks between when I had the tests done and when we received the results from the doctor. Honestly, there were times in the three weeks when I was tempted to run to anxiety and fear over what the results might show. What if my heart was not OK? What did that mean for our future?

Fear is universal to us all – no one is immune. It is part of our human experience.  And whether the fear you are facing is related to your marriage, your kids, your health, or your job, we must face the reality that fears are part of this life.

But Jesus has not left us to deal with our fears on our own. He has provided for us in our fears and troubles. And He has done this in four specific ways. These all center around the gift of the Holy Spirit, which indwells every person who has surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. These four truths I am sharing are from Warren Wiersbe from his commentary on the Gospel of John.

The Spirit is With Me and In Me

Jesus says in John 14:17 that the Spirit “dwells with you and will be in you”. Read that again, please. The Spirit is always with me and in me. He is a gift of God that cannot be lost because He takes up residence inside me. This is how Wiersbe talks about this truth from John 14:

The Holy Spirit abides in the believer. He is a gift from the Father in answer to the prayer of the Son. During His earthly ministry, Jesus had guided, guarded, and taught His disciples; but now He was going to leave them. The Spirit of God would come to them and dwell in them, taking the place of their Master. Jesus called the Spirit “another Comforter,” and the Greek word translated “another” means “another of the same kind.” The Spirit of God is not different from the Son of God, for both are God. The Spirit of God had dwelt with the disciples in the person of Jesus Christ. Now He would dwell in them. (1)

The Spirit Comforts and Strengthens Me

A second way the Spirit helps us in our fears is by comforting and strengthening us. Again Wiersbe has great insight on this: 

Our English word comfort comes from two Latin words meaning “with strength.” We usually think of “comfort” as soothing someone, consoling him or her; and to some extent this is true. But true comfort strengthens us to face life bravely and keep on going. It does not rob us of responsibility or make it easy for us to give up.  (1)

I don't know about you, but when fears rise up in me, I need to be strengthened to face my fears. As Wiersbe says, “to face life bravely and keep on going”. Whether this is a fear related to your marriage, your kids, or your health, we need help to face our fears. And the Holy Spirit, as our Comforter, provides that help and strength.

The Spirit Teaches and Reminds Me of Truth

In counseling couples, and in any other form of discipleship, we must confront the lies we believe about ourselves and others, and the lies we might even believe about God. The way to understand a lie is to hold it up against the truth – the inspired, inerrant Word of God. In John 14, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Truth”. He goes on to say in John 16 that the Holy Spirit “guides us into all truth”. Here are Wiersbe's words on this: 

As “the Spirit of Truth,” the Holy Spirit is related to Jesus, the Truth, and the Word of God, which of itself is the truth. The Holy Spirit inspired the Word and also illumines the Word so we may understand it. Since He is the “Spirit of Truth,” the Holy Spirit cannot lie or be associated with lies. He never leads us to do anything contrary to the Word of God, for again God’s Word is truth. (1)

Here is a question for you and me: What lies am I believing that are driving my fears? Maybe a wife believes that she is “damaged goods” because of her sexual past before Christ, and that affects her marriage and many of her other relationships as well. Or maybe a husband, because he had an earthly father who was demanding and mean, sees the Heavenly Father in the same way, even though he has read what the Word says about our Heavenly Father’s kindness. Whatever the lie is, we must ask the Lord to reveal it and then ask for God's transforming grace to help us renew our minds with the truth – the truth that comes when the Spirit illuminates and reminds us of God's Truth.

The Spirit Gives Me God's Overwhelming Peace

If you thought these first three ways the Spirit helps us in our fears was good, just put on your seat belt and hold on for #4!  Peace is something we all need as God graciously helps us remove our fear and replaces it with His Peace, Warren Wiersbe has just the right way of helping me see this:

Shalom—peace—is a precious word to the Jewish people. It means much more than just the absence of war or distress. Shalom means wholeness, completeness, health, security, even prosperity in the best sense. When you are enjoying God’s peace, there is joy and contentment.

But God’s peace is not like the “peace” that the world offers. The world bases its peace on its resources, while God’s peace depends on relationships. To be right with God means to enjoy the peace of God. The world depends on personal ability, but the Christian depends on spiritual adequacy in Christ. In the world, peace is something you hope for or work for; but to the Christian, peace is God’s wonderful gift, received by faith. Unsaved people enjoy peace when there is an absence of trouble; Christians enjoy peace in spite of trials because of the presence of power, the Holy Spirit.

People in the world walk by sight and depend on the externals, but Christians walk by faith and depend on the eternals. The Spirit of God teaches us the Word and guides us (not drags us!) into the truth. He also reminds us of what He has taught us so that we can depend on God’s Word in the difficult times of life. The Spirit uses the Word to give us His peace (John 14:27), His love (John 15:9-10), and His joy (John 15:11). If that does not calm a troubled heart, nothing will!  (1)

There is so much in those three short paragraphs to marinate on. I encourage you to read them a second time - this time asking the Lord to highlight for you what He wants you to see.

Now let me share one thing from those paragraphs that grabbed my heart, as it may have yours. Wiersbe says, “In the world, peace is something you hope for and work for; but to the Christian, peace is God's wonderful gift, received by faith.” Don't miss those last two words: by faith. God's greatest gifts for us as Christ-followers are always received by faith, and the help of the Holy Spirit in our fear is no exception. This is a spiritual transaction between the Lord and me – between the Lord and you. This is how Pastor Bill Elliff shared this in a recent sermon. He said, “Faith can conquer any fear and faith is always the antidote for my fear. In fact, faith is 'God's operating system' for man” (2).

Final Words

So where does this leave you and me in the fears we face every day? I don't know about you, but these truths that the Spirit brings me give me great hope – hope, that as I take steps of faith, the Spirit will work to help me overcome my fears. I need to be reminded often that I can have God's peace and strength in the midst of my fears. When I am afraid, I must focus on the truth the Spirit brings to my memory as I also recall the Spirit is with me and in me.  May we all, as fellow travelers on the road of following Christ, allow the Spirit to help us more consistently walk in faith and not in fear!

Suggested Prayer:  Lord, I admit my fears and acknowledge them to You. Thank You that You have not left me alone to deal with my fears in my own strength and wisdom. Thank You for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit that is with me and in me! May the Comforter bring me strength to face life bravely and keep on walking with You. May Your Spirit consistently illuminate my mind and heart to Your Truth as I read Your Word – and bring to remembrance Your Word in the everyday decisions I face. Lord, remind me that the peace You give is based on relationships, not resources. Help me to experience Your peace while in the midst of trials and challenges, as I walk using my spiritual eyes instead of my physical eyes. Give me faith to believe and follow You as the Spirit leads me moment-by-moment. Thank You, Lord. In the Name of Jesus!

Application Questions:

1)     Are there any fears you are facing currently in your life? Are you honestly crying out to God for help with these fears? And if not, why not?

2)    Which one of the 4 truths that Wiersbe shared on the Holy Spirit and His help for us in facing fears most resonated with you? Why?

3)    Is there a step of faith the Lord is prompting you to take with your fears? I encourage you to write that step out below and then share it with a same gender, mature Christ-follower for accountability and encouragement to move forward in finding God’s help for your fear.

Original post written by Glen Solberg in 2018. Updated August 2025. Abiding Marriage Blog. Send comments or questions to info@AbidingMarriage.org

Sources:

(1)   Warren Wiersbe.  Be Series Commentary. Gospel of John. Chapter 14.

(2)  Pastor Bill Elliff, The Summit Church, Little Rock, AR. “This Changes Everything” sermon series.