Do not fret. It only leads to...

We’ve been sharing from our summer in the Psalm for six weeks now! The Psalms are a treasure trove of wisdom and encouragement as we find ourselves in so much of what we read.

As I read, there is often a verse that stands out each and every time I read through a particular passage. Psalm 37:8 is one such verse. Gets me every time.

The second half simply says: Do not fret. It only leads to evil.

That’s it. So simple. So straightforward. Some versions say: It only causes harm. Another says: it only leads to evil-doing.

In other words, there is only one outcome when it comes to fretting, one direction, one path. There are consequences to worry and fretting – and those consequences are not good.

I see a picture of a road, like the road in the story of the Good Samaritan. The traveler is heading down the path all the while not knowing that evil is waiting. He is beaten & robbed.

When we fret, we’re taking that same kind of road. We are robbed. We’re robbed of peace. We’re robbed of joy. Sometimes we’re even robbed of hope.

John 10:10 says "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Fretting means going down the road that we know will likely bring us face to face with the enemy of our souls. Jesus has come so that we do not have to take the road of fretting. He came to give us an abundant life – full of peace, joy and hope even in the midst of difficulties and stressors.

Do not fret – make a different choice. Take a different road. You can know the different road leads to peace, joy and hope.