“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 NKJ
After committing our way to the Lord one of the hardest things to do is to rest in Him. The reason for this is we second guess ourselves and wonder if we made the right decision, or if there is more God expects us to do on our own. We have been conditioned to believe sayings like, “God helps those who help themselves” that make us question the validity of our decision to rest in God and wait patiently on Him to perform His Word.
While God does promise to bless the things we put our hands to; this passage of Scripture is not talking about that. It is talking about making the decision to put our hope and trust in God after committing our way to Him. When we do this it enables us to keep our minds focused on the fact that He brings His Word to pass in our lives, not us!
Two definitions of rest that apply to this verse are: Relief or freedom from disquiet or disturbance;
or mental and emotional tranquility. These two definitions are great descriptions of what David is talking about because right after he tells us to rest and wait patiently he says, “Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.” Isn’t it frustrating when you see a person who has committed an injustice thrive and prosper in the wicked way they live? For me that can be the most unnerving experience! Like I said in part one I am a justice person and I want to see that justice enforced right now!
So when I see a person who has committed an injustice thrive, my blood boils with anger! I want to scream, “INJUSTICE” from the rooftop for the world to hear! But David tells us that this is the very thing we have to cease from doing because it only brings us harm. Most people do not even realize the devastating power of anger and the havoc it wreaks on their mind and body! Studies have proven that pent up anger causes sickness and disease. This is why it is so important to meditate on Scriptures and pray during our times of waiting patiently for God to perform His Word!
In His amazing love for us, God gave us the best antidote for sickness and it doesn’t cost us anything but time. It is called resting in Him! I believe if more people would commit their way to the Lord and then rest in Him in their times of waiting; less people would suffer from certain illness, such as heart disease. Did you know that certain forms of heart disease have been directly linked to unresolved anger issues? When I learned that it made me understand what Proverbs 13:12 meant. It says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.”
So now when I see someone who has committed an injustice thriving and prospering in their way; I remind myself that no matter what they are doing, God is performing His Word on my behalf. This confident assurance causes me to rest and wait patiently! Though the temptation to fret still crouches at my door some mornings, I have learned how to overcome it by meditating on the Word and praying until the temptation passes. This is a daily exercise of faith but the rewards for doing it far out way the growing pains I experience in the process.
I now view this process as a blessing and as I daily walk in it, I feel the presence of God directing me away from my inner voice of doubt or unbelief. I feel Him drawing me towards the path that leads me to the desires of my heart, and my need to see justice served my way, subsides! This is also when my focus turns from wanting vengeance to praying for the one who has committed the injustice. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:43 -48 when He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
As the Lord speaks to you and reveals His wisdom and understanding of the Scriptures my prayer is that you will begin to see things from His prospective. I can attest to the fact that when this begins to happen you will experience incredible peace and contentment the next time someone commits an injustice against you. Committing my ways to the Lord, trusting in Him, and resting in His promises, has been a breath of fresh air in my life! Though there are times I still struggle in this area, I am seeing that the pattern of my responses are becoming easier the more I choose to put my hope and trust in Him. My prayer is that you too will begin to see this manifest as you walk in faith and commit all your ways to Him on a daily basis.
Prayer: Spend time thanking God for being a just God who protects you in the midst of an injustice. Ask Him to reveal areas of your life where you still struggle to believe and trust in Him. Set aside time to meditate on the Word so you are strengthened in your inner man and prepared to walk on the paths the Lord leads you on.
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