Jesus spoke the truth of course, when He said, “In this world you will have trouble…”. 

It is often the case that when we are in trouble, we think about or begin to pray to God for help, but the trouble we are facing also causes us anxiety, also making it difficult to pray.  Worrying does that – it consumes our hearts and minds, because of the uncertainties related to the trouble and the fear attacking us from the inside out, in our minds and hearts.  But Jesus also added, “…but take heart/courage because I have overcome the world.”   

It is in and through Jesus’s holy words that we are ENCOURAGED against fear and anxiety, because His words are alive and life giving, and they speak into our minds and hearts.  God works in us through His Word.

He also corrects out thinking and feelings when He says, “Do not be anxious about anything but with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.”  And He makes a trustworthy promise that when and if we do so, we will be COMFORTED with His peace that surpasses understanding.  God works in us through His Spirit who is in agreement with God’s Word. “Courage and comfort” from God is heavenly medication for our worldly troubles.

Jesus, being also a man who faced many troubles himself and yet overcame the world because of His living relationship with His Heavenly Father and the help of the Holy Spirit, is believable. This is why it is good and right and necessary for us also to depend upon God’s Word, especially when we are in trouble and which we were taught to do so as children of God and followers of God’s Son. He taught us how to pray and truthfully told us to “abide in His Word” as His disciples who are following after Him.

So, when troubles come as was foretold, we can take heart/find courage in the Truth as well as have the peace of God, as we live united with Him, prayerfully abiding in His Word, being recipients of the Spirit, and dependent upon the Father’s sure love, who first sought after us.