Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers! 2 For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants. 3 Trust in the LORD and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! 4 Then you will take delight in the LORD, and he will answer your prayers. 5 Commit your future to the LORD! Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. Psalm 37:1-5 (NET1)
Insight
Fretting, anger, depression and hopelessness can assail us when things do not go as we think they should. Adversity tests our trust in God. Is He on His throne or not? Does He love us or not? Is He working all things for good in our lives or not? Tests and trials bring to the surface our doubts and fears – our sinful unbelief.
Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers! 2 For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants. 3 Trust in the LORD and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! 4 Then you will take delight in the LORD, and he will answer your prayers. 5 Commit your future to the LORD! Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. Psalm 37:1-5 (NET1)
David reminds us to make the conscious decision to maintain trust in God and walk in integrity, not surrendering to panic-driven thinking or fear-based decision making. Instead we must choose to delight in God, the One Who answers prayers and acts on behalf of those who rely upon Him.
Prayer
Lord, help me to see things from your perspective. Help me to never give up on doing the right thing, even if it seems to me that it is pointless or even hopeless. Help me continually to delight in you, giving thanks to You in ALL things, even those things that seem to be contrary to what I think is best for me. Lord, I believe you hear my prayers and will answer them. Thank you, Lord! I commit my future to you and believe you will act on my behalf. Amen.
For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:17-21 (NET1)
