The psalmist gave us words of inspired instruction to teach us how we can rise above our natural tendency to fret.
There are many ways to define the word fret: to become vexed or worried; to affect something as if by gnawing or biting; to chafe or corrode. Fretting plagues every one of us from time to time, and the results can be devastating to the life of the believer — emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Fretting starts as an infection and will wind up a disease if we do not heed the psalmist’s exhortation set before us today.
The first word of instruction is to trust. To trust is simply to place your problems in the hands of your Savior. Give them all over to your Lord. Start with prayer, casting all your anxieties on the Lord, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). And then trust that God will answer you, for He has promised, “Call to me, and I will answer you” (Jeremiah 33:3).
The second instruction is to delight. To delight is to enjoy the Lord — not for what He has done for you, but rather, simply because He is God. True delight is to focus on the Giver of all good gifts, not the gifts themselves. God sits enthroned on the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3); as you delight in the Sovereign Lord and lift up your praises to Him, you will find that your fretting fades away.
The third inspired instruction is to commit. To commit to the Lord is to be “all in” with every aspect of your life. Do not withhold anything from Him; surrender every area of your life to His wisdom, His will, and His way. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do,” the Wise Preacher tells us, “and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3).
The fourth and final instruction is to be still. To be still is to center your heart on home and remember Who is in charge of everything. God is on the throne of your life every moment of every day. He is in complete control of the entire universe, and that includes whatever it is you are fretting about. “Be still, and know that I am God,” He tells us; “I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:5). “Wait patiently for [the Lord],” the Psalm 37:7-8 instructs us. “Do not fret — it leads only to evil.”
Many, many people have been blessed over the years by following these inspired instructions. What about you? Are you ready to forsake fretting? Regardless of what it is you are facing, trust in the Lord, delight in Him, commit your all to Him, and be still before Him. Know that He is not just God, as awesome as that is, but He is your God, and He has promised to bring you safely through any storm you are facing now or will face in the future. You have His Word on that.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 