Fret Not Yourself
Recently, someone in my community was spreading untruths about someone I love deeply. I so badly wanted to correct the errors and protect the name of my loved one and—most importantly—zip the lips of the one spreading lies! It was then that I read Psalm 37:7 and the encouraging words: “Fret not yourself.”
I just love that phrase! Now, it isn’t one we might normally use in our modern, day-to-day conversations. We are more likely to say something along the lines of, “Don’t worry.” Or “Try to calm down.” But the advice of “Fret not yourself” shows a bit more vividly just what’s happening. We are the ones causing ourselves to fret, so perhaps we are the ones who can stop the fretting, too!
When we allow our angry thoughts to become kindling, burning in our minds, they can soon spark angry actions we might regret. We may think we’re directing our fiery fury outward, but in fact, we are the ones who end up getting seared and scorched.
Instead, a different approach can bring about a better outcome when we aim to carefully follow the directive in the first part of the verse: Be still. Wait. Display patience—a quiet trust that God is in control. We can focus on controlling our anger and allow God to control the concerning situation, trusting Him with the outcome.
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