Trouble is inevitable. Jesus was honest about that.

You cannot always control what happens to you, but you have authority over what happens in you.

Jesus says in John 14:27, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The command contains two key words: Let not.

The state of your heart is under your jurisdiction. Jesus gives the command, but He does not make the decision for you. No one else can do it for you. Only you can forbid your heart from spiraling into panic.

You have a choice. When bad news arrives or pressure mounts, you make a decision. You can yield to anxiety, or you can stand at the door of your heart and say, “No. You are not entering here.”

Make it a practice. When you feel tightness in your chest or your thoughts begin to race, speak to yourself.

“Let not your heart be troubled.”

Take authority over your emotions. You are not a victim of your feelings; you are the gatekeeper of your heart.