Fret Not Yourself
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Fret Not Yourself
We have instinctive reactions to help ourselves and prevent the possibility of our being hurt. And, that is very good and necessary at all times. But, we can also have another reaction to our life situation that is called “fretting”. To fret is to allow something to eat and gnaw away at us. We allow something to bug us so much that it wears us away with a constant irritation, vexation, and worry. We even lose sleep in our frustrations.
We must protect ourselves from the various evils of this world, but in the same breath, we also need to entrust all of our cares and worries into the eternal hands of our Lord and Savior. It is not our power that keeps us safe. It is God’s power. He is the One who is watching over us and desiring that we turn to Him with all our needs.
King David vividly expresses our real needs in Psalm 37:1-11. Here we have guidance in how God wants us to be as we face our problems.
Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
For they will wither quickly like the grass,
And fade like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Fret not yourself, it leads only to evildoing.
For evil doers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place, and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land,
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
God has so much He wants us to be assured of as He speaks here through David’s experiences. It does us good to meditate on all these words and let them be our constant guide in this world of innumerable challenges. We are to rest in Jesus and live in His ways, because He is the Judge of all things in the end. And the end is what counts for all eternity.
For every time we are tempted to fret, let us turn to these words of comfort and promise. God is faithful. He kept all of His promises of a Savior in Jesus Christ, and He can be counted on to keep all of His other promises, too. As we delight in the LORD, we are thanking and praising Him for all the wonders of His love for us.
Therefore, we say, “Hallelujah! LORD, You allow us to face troubles, so that You might show us the wonders of Your grace. Open our eyes and hearts to the depths of Your care in Jesus Christ.”
Love,
Margaret
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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods
This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Psalm 33:1
How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3
Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12
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