Don't Fret or Envy

So "love" becomes "lust". Righteous "anger" becomes unreasonable "rage". Healthy "fear" becomes paralysing "terror"...

"Fretting" and "envy" are like that too. We have a capacity to meditate - to reflect, consider, turn things over in our mind. Psalm 1 talks about meditating on God’s law day and night (Ps. 1.2). Paul writes, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things" (Phil. 4.8). That’s good healthy meditation and reflection.

Meditation becomes fretting when we turn over and over unhelpful things with no awareness or reflection on the presence and grace of God.

A healthy appreciation of the achievements of others can stimulate us into positive and creative action. Too often it simply becomes that "green-eyed monster", envy - at the root of covetousness.

There is a prayer that says, "God grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference".

Psalm 37 begins, "Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong" (Ps. 37.1). It mightn’t be the temptation to follow an evil way of life. It’s just that, in the short term, they seem to have so many advantages. If we didn’t give so much, we might afford a better car or house. Our diet and life-style may be healthier, but there is always someone who seems healthier and fitter than we are. We don’t believe in gambling and note that the big winners aren’t so very happy after all, but we can certainly think of a few things to do with a million dollars. We talk about joy, but some folk seem to have a lot more fun...

All of those are short-term benefits - "like the grass they [those who do wrong] will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away" (v. 2). "Soon", of course, can seem rather a long time! They will be "cut off" (v. 9). They will "be no more" (v. 10). "Their day is coming" (v. 13)...

So don’t fret or be envious - "Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked" (v. 16).

But it all seems the reverse of what ought to be! That’s why we fret - turning over and over in our mind the injustice of life and the wish that God would act more quickly.

David gives us some things to do instead of fretting. "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture" (v. 3). That’s basic - God is here and he is God!

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" (v. 4). When our focus is on the Lord and his wonder and love and away from "the desires of our heart", we are ready to receive them from him.

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him..." (v. 5). "Commit" is a curious expression meaning "roll". It means "give your way completely to the Lord".

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him" (v. 7). Stop all that inner turmoil and arguing and be open to him.

"Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever" (v. 27). We can’t expect God’s blessing unless we are truly on his side. So we should "Wait for the Lord and keep his way" (v. 34).

"Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace" (v. 37). We have this narrow view of how well off the wicked are and how "hardly done by" we are. But take a wider view. Read some Christian biography. Look at the bigger picture of the lives of those who have trusted the Lord.

"The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him" (vv. 39-40).

Prayer: Dear Father, sometimes the wicked seem to be far better off than those of us who have trusted you! Forgive our limited perception of life. Help us to commit our way to you - to trust in you and do good. We want to be still in your presence and wait patiently for you - for your timing. Yes, Lord, you are here, and you are God! We praise you and thank you! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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