What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Do Not Fret...

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm."  Psalm 37:7-8

"Do not fret"...who among us has never been guilty of fretting at one time or another ?(or many times...) 
If fretting is not something you can identify with, then you probably have been living in a bubble kind of world.  But if you are human, you most likely have fretted about something..perhaps even within the past few hours or minutes!

Verse 8 says, "Do not fret--it only causes harm."   How true that is...Fretting is a form of worry, stress and fear.  Stress in particular has been linked to many diseases...heart disease, strokes, gastrointestinal disease and distress, high blood pressure, and possibly even cancer.  In other words, it is a killer....the Bible is correct..."it only causes harm".  It not only causes harm to the individual who continually frets about things over which he (she) has no control, but it causes harm to those who may be the recipients of that worry and stress...the caregivers and family members and friends of the stressed out person.  Those who truly care about their stressed out friend or loved one end up fretting themselves when they are unable to help their friend.  It becomes a vicious cycle...and none of it is good.

So, what is the remedy?  Psalm 37 has the answers: 
  • Verse 7: "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for HIM; ...
  • Verse 8, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath..."....
  • Verse 3: "Trust in the Lord, and do good"
  • Verse 4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."
  • Verse 5: "Commit your way to the Lord"
  • Verse 5: "Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."
  • Verse 1: "Do not fret because of evildoers"
  • Verse 1: "Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity"
God says in verse 9: "Evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth."

So, when you are feeling fretful, overly worried, or giving in to stress...think about these verses in Psalm 37.    I like what verses 23-25 say in particular:
  • "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He (God) delights in his way.
  • "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;"
  • "For the Lord upholds him with His hand"
  • "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread."
What have I to fret about?  I know that my God is in control...no matter what...I can trust in Him...He will uphold me with HIS hand!  There can be no safer "bubble" in which to dwell...I do not need to fret.

I believe I can sleep a lot more soundly tonight knowing that my God has all my worries in His hands...
Good night!

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