. Psalm 37:1-9
37 Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. 2 For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb.3 Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday..7 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 carries out wicked schemes. 8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. 9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land..
We all have a natural tendency to focus on what the other guy is doing, instead of what we ourselves should be doing. Jesus rebuked Peter for doing just that – and told Peter to focus on what he should be doing – following Jesus – and not to concern himself with Jesus’ plans for John .
This principle is especially applicable with respect to “evil doers” – we are typically worried and and a little envious that they are “getting away with it”. However, God says “I will deal with them – “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” – instead you should watch out for what’s in your own heart”.
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According to Psalm 37, we need to understand clearly that
- The evildoers’ lives are short and will fade away (Ps 37:2)
- They will ultimately receive the total judgement of being cut off from God and Heaven – forever (Ps 37:9)
Instead of focusing on the evildoer, we should turn toward a positive focus on what God wants us to do (Ps 37:3-4). This includes:
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- Trusting in Him – that He will deal with them, and that He will reward you for seeking Him
- Doing good -this speaks for itself
- Dwelling in the land – stick to attending to your own business in living quiet, productive lives
- Cultivating faithfulness – our faithfulness is very important to God
- And the ultimate goal of delighting in Him – Who is the ultimate fulfillment of our deepest longings
- Rest in His ability and intention to do the right thing
- Patiently wait on Him to do it at the right time – the time of His choosing, not the time of our choosing
- Not get angry about what the evil guys are doing
- Not attempt to execute justice on our own (forsake wrath) – but instead to leave it up to Him
Go Deeper: The First Will Be Last
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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