A friend recently remarked, “I’m starting my morning wondering what new loss or bad news the day will bring.” 2020 has punched many people in the gut. Has a long battle or diet of bad news caused you to fret? Whether your enemy is physical, emotional, or spiritual, I have good news. You have help!
Scripture reminds us God is our strength and deliverer. No enemy can defeat Him. He doesn’t expect us to rescue ourselves from trouble. He will save us. But—we have a role to play. If you aren’t experiencing victory over your worries, consider—are you doing your part?
Notice what we are to do and are not to do:
If you aren’t experiencing victory over your worries, consider—are you doing your part? #faith, #RechargeWednesday Click To TweetDon’t worry …
Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you” (Ps. 37:1, 3-5, NLT).
Resting Is Better than Fretting
Would you rather soak in a fragrant bubble bath while listening to soft music or pace the floor with knotted fists? No-brainer, right? Worry tenses our muscles and drives our thoughts and reactions. In contrast, delighting in the Lord melts tension and soothes frazzled nerves.
Many things cause us to fret. The Psalm above deals with evildoers. Your nemesis may be regret, a chronic illness, a rebellious child, or a financial challenge. These principles apply to any problem. Practicing these constructive activities quiets worry by infusing faith.
How Do We Delight in the Lord?
To delight in the Lord means to enjoy Him. Instead of chewing on a problem, we bask in the pleasure of His company and character. During a dreadful time in Israel’s history, Jeremiah found hope by directing his focus on to God’s character (Lam. 3:21-26). The circumstances didn’t change with this exercise, but Jeremiah changed.
Have you ever held a flailing child? Soothing words and caresses don’t help when they’re rejected. Neither child nor would-be comforter enjoys the experience.
Now picture an injured child peacefully resting in her mother’s arms. A special bond forms between the comforter and the comforted. The sting of the injury may linger, but sweet closeness blankets both parties with contentment.
Jesus knows our tendency to worry. He invites us to quiet ourselves in His love instead of fretting whenever we suffer injustice or trouble. He enables us to do this, but we must cooperate with Him.
To receive comfort, we must open our hands and let go of our fears, tears, and frustrations. We must trust Him to right the wrongs and bring good out of the bad.
Stewing will not bring comfort, justice, or relief. Ongoing agitation leads only to bad health and lousy decisions. The next time you want to rant or fret, run to your heavenly Father instead. He wants to comfort you. Will you let Him?
This article was originally published @ DebbieWWilson April 28, 2020
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I appreciate your good thinking here about our partnership with God in living a peaceful life. We don’t always get to choose our circumstances, but we certainly can choose our response.
Thank you, Michele. It is a beautiful partnership in which we must choose to trust His word and His ways.
Debbie,
Thank you for the visual of the flailing child…may I not resist God, but instead draw near and delight in Him when my heart is prone to fretting!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Yes, Bev, may I not resist either!
This is such a good word in any time, but especially these times. So many things in the world are too big and seemingly overwhelming. But not for God. I love the vivid image of the flailing child, too–I have flailed in spirit all too often.
I just started reading Jen Wilkin’s None Like Him on the attributes of God. It’s been a great way to delight in Him even more.
Focusing on God’s attributes is a wonderful way to delight in Him. Thank you, Barbara.
Beautiful message, Debbie. I often picture myself as that fretful, stewing child unable to find solace anywhere but in the arms of my Savior.
Thank you, Karen. We’ve all been there! Sometimes it takes a while to calm down and let Him love on us.
Resting is definitely better than fretting. But do I often choose it? Not as much as I should. Too often my default choice is to fret. Thanks for the reminder to stay conscious about it, Debbie!
Lisa, I often start with fretting. Repeating “Fret not, it leads only to evil doing,” helps me bring it in check. But fretting is my default too.
The question your friend asked feels very real right now. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, Lauren.