October 25, 2014
Psalms 37:8 (RV) "Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil doing."
Fret not thyself? It is easy not to fret, worry, or become discouraged when all is going
well, isn't it; easy to remain relaxed, hopeful and happy? On a morning, when we're doing
our devotions and read the above verse, the verse doesn't make a ripple in our calm
emotions does it?
But what happens if we read this verse when the life we've created for ourselves,
and perhaps a family, just unexpectedly got turned upside down? Suppose our
spouse wants a divorce or dies? What do we do when we lose our job, find our
child is addicted to drugs or alcohol? What do we do when the partner we've
loved for many years wants a divorce? What do we do when we are diagnosed
with a horrible disease? It is not so easy then, is it, to do what God tells us to
do, to not fret.
I can testify from my own life experiences that God is not asking something too
hard. I know from experience that His (don't fret) works in both days of
perplexity and days of peace. It's just that sometimes we get things backwards;
we start fretting instead of turning the problem over to the Lord when it first
comes up.
Our fretting reveals how childlike we can sometimes be- how little we trust
the Lord. We are fine when all is going smoothly. But when confronted
with change, when something rips a hole in our comfort zone, we go right
into the fretting mode; become miserable, sad, angry, resentful, unhappy,
and fearful.
Our goal is to be like Jesus, who never fretted or worried. Why
didn't He? Because He never started a single moment of his life without first
seeking His Father. He was never seeking or wanting something for himself;
but was always focused on what He could do for others.
We talk a lot about "resting in the Lord." talk a lot about "trusting Him, and
being patient." but how we react to stress shows we do not fully comprehend
what he is asking us to not do: either that, or we simply do not trust Him as we
claim too. Which is it? I'm not saying it is easy, and certainly not claiming it is
something I have mastered. I haven't, but am working on it. And I am finding that
when I remember to run to the LORD the moment I am confronted with something
that troubles me, I don't fret. And when I don't fret? Well, seeing the difference
in how I am able to cope with things motivates me to break this bad habit.
It isn't easy to to not fret. But if it were not possible, the Lord wouldn't be
telling us not to do it. And He tells us not to do it because
there is no need for us too: no need because He is willing and able to
carry all our burdens for us. It saddens our hearts when we tell our children
not to worry about a problem they have, yet they continue to worry any way;
keep asking "Did you do what you promised you'd do for me? Did you really?"
Have you ever thought about how hurt the LORD must be when we do this
to Him?
Part of Psalms 37:8 says ..."it (meaning our fretting) tendeth to evil doing."
Our fretting raises our blood pressure, upsets our stomachs, gives us
headaches and causes sleep to become as elusive as a butterfly. But it does
even more than that. If not nipped in the bud right at the start. Before long,
our fretting becomes a thorn in our flesh; something that causes
us to do that which we don't wish to do. We lose our tempers, say things we
don't really mean, things we wind up regretting. We take our frustration out
on those around us. Our fretting, out of control now, has made what could have
been managed, had we turned to the Lord, seem to us so gigantic, so
impossible, that we are overwhelmed and totally discouraged. We are worse
off than when we first began to fret.
I have people tell me that what I often say doesn't make sense, that certain
things are just too hard for ordinary people. My reply is always,"Yes, but
nothing is impossible to God." The trick is remembering these words-
memorizing them. "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GOD."
Our problems, whether the smallest, or largest, matter to the Lord; He
loves us. We are His children. He is constantly telling us in His Word, to
not be afraid, reassures us over and over, that he will never leave or
forsake us, that he will be with us to our last breath.
He is our Rock, our safe place. If we have the LORD, we are rich,
have all we will ever need to make it through this life.
