One of the greatest insights from God's word we have on fretting or worry is found in Psa. 37:8: "Do not fret; it leads only to evil doing." The Hebrew term "fret" literally means "to eat away, to gnaw, to worry, to agitate, to wear out." It is easy to tell someone not to "fret" but then our world gets turned upside down and we are forced to live in agony like many others go through. "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him." (Psa. 37:7) It is easy to tell someone to "rest in the Lord" when things are going well for us, but it is completely different when we are in the difficulty.
Is it really possible to "rest in the Lord" and not "fret?" "Rest in the Lord" is not dependent on your external circumstances but on your relationship with God Himself. God is faithful and will always be faithful. He doesn't know how to be unfaithful. That's impossible for Him. If we can see His faithfulness, we should trust Him at His word because it is absolutely impossible for Him to lie or be untrustworthy.
The reason many can never "rest in the Lord" is because they are always trying to work out situations they face. They try to help here and there and it only leads into more fretting because things don't work out according to our working! Simply put, we just don't trust God. We think we have to help. Worry, fretting ALWAYS results in sin. Fretting rises out of our determination to have things work our way and our plans! Compared to when Jesus walked on this earth as us, His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill the plans of God. The will of God was at His heart so in the difficulties He faced, He rested in His Father. He knew God was righteous and could never do anything other than who He is.
Have we been propping up our foolishness with the idea that our circumstances are too much for God to handle? Do we really believe we can work things out better and for the righteous purpose of God by doing things ourselves? All our fretting is caused by planning and acting without God! "Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, the will inherit the land." (Psa. 37:8-9)
1 comment:
I believe your blog helps more people in more ways than you will ever know... We are blessed to have you take the time to write each week..and share and teach. Thank you so much.
And...as a guilty "fretter" at times...this was another article that I needed! Thankfully for me the Lord is patient and puts up with babysteps in my growth! I have to say the peace that comes with letting God take care of things is well worth...the "letting go"...
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