Psalm 37:1-11
1Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
2for they will soon fade like the grass,
and wither like the green herb.
3Trust in the LORD, and do good;
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
4Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
6He will make your vindication shine like the light,
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
7Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret — it leads only to evil.
9For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
11But the meek shall inherit the land,
and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
Do not fret — it leads only to evil.
I have to admit that I’ve been doing a lot of fretting this winter. I am a habitual fretter, but I’m at a new level these days.
The problem with allowing ourselves to fret – to obsess with worry over things we can’t control – is that it quickly consumes everything else. When I wake up in the morning, I grab the phone to see what horrible things await me in the news. I work with the phone by my hand so I can check the news every few minutes. Fretting is consuming my time, sapping my strength, and destroying my attention span.
The Buddhists have a saying, “the one who worries suffers twice”. Jesus said, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today (Matthew 6:34).
External stressors will always be there, most of them beyond our control. What we can control is our response to them. The Psalmist says: 5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act. Today, I am recommitting my way to the LORD. All those things that can legitimately claim my concern will still be out there but, with God’s help and some attention to my spiritual disciplines, I can approach them in healthy and balanced ways.
Lent is coming soon. It’s a great time to step away from the hamster wheel of the news cycles and rest in Jesus.
Prayer: Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, when the cares of this world threaten to overpower me, help me hear your voice calling me to come to you and rest. AMEN