Fret Not

“Father, I am sorry that I have let stress reign instead of peace. I have deeply desired peace and trust and to walk in joy, but stress seems to be this old familiar friend I take with me everywhere. A habit I can’t break. Please deliver me from its chains. Please deliver me from the constant striving and push I feel to do everything quickly or to multi-task it all. Let me rest in you and NOT FRET.”

 

Out of that journal scripted prayer God used that last phrase to hang in my mind until I looked up where it was found in scripture. It’s a good thing I did for within Psalms 37 was the truth I needed. The entire chapter begins with the phrase, “Do not fret.” Fret means to worry unnecessarily or excessively. It’s the idea of something “gnawing” or “tormenting” you mentally. To fret means you are moved to inner agitation, commotion, or annoyance. It means to chafe inwardly.

 

“Trust in the LORD and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37: 3-4

 

Here’s what I am commanded to do:

1) “Trust in the Lord.” Which means I am to rely on, lean on and be confident in Him and His ability.

2) “Do Good.” Do what I know is good. Such as being honest, kind, patient, and faithful.

3) “Dwell in the Land.” Wherever God has me, He has me. (profound, right) Some of us are always so concerned about what’s next that we never take time to just dwell where we are. God tells us in Jer. 29:7 that we are to seek the peace and prosperity of the city He’s carried us to.

4) “Live Securely.” Another translation says to “feed on his faithfulness”. That’s where security comes from being aware and thankful of God’s faithfulness towards us. If we live in this thankful aware state then we have confidence in God’s faithfulness and aren’t shaken by insecurity.

5) “Delight myself in God.” Seek my happiness in Him. Find my satisfaction in Him

 

Then God will:

Give me the desires of my heart. Other translations say God will grant me the secret petitions of my heart. What does your heart desire, what is your soul petitioning for? Sometimes these petitions are buried deep under our seemingly more pressing to do lists.

 

 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: Make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the sun.” Psalms 37:5-6

I am to:

6) Commit my way to God. I love the translation that says “Roll and repose each care of your load on Him.” Repose is to lay it to rest. Whatever concern has me loaded down, I lay it to rest by rolling it onto His broad shoulders. The Message version says, “Open up before God, keep nothing back;…”

 

Then God will:

“…He’ll do whatever needs to be done: He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval.” Maybe a few of the things stressing us are really just a subconscious reach for validation or to gain a human stamp of approval.

 

I am to: (Ps 37:7-8)

7) “Be still before the Lord”  Quiet down before Him. Make mental and physical space for Him to speak.

8) “Wait patiently for Him to act.”

9) “Do not fret, because it leads to evil.” Or said another way, “Do not be agitated it can only bring harm.” In other words my inner agitation only makes things worse. I have to agree!

10) “Refrain from anger.”

 

The Blessing is: (Ps 37:11)

“The meek shall inherit the land and shall delight themselves in an abundance of peace.” To be meek means to be humbly patient, gentle, longsuffering and peaceful. All the things I’ve listed that I am to do in #1-10 will create meekness in me and the blessing of living #1-10 is that I will live my life in an abundance (an overflowing amount) of peace. I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather possess in life then to enjoy abundant peace.