One of God’s Great “Don’ts”

Do not fret— it only causes harm —Psalm 37:8

Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to “rest in the Lord” then? If this “Do not” doesn’t work there, then it will not work anywhere. This “Do not” must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

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神的[不要]

不要心懷不平，以致作惡。 （詩三十七8）

心懷不平就是思想上或靈性上的反抗狀態。口頭上說不要心懷不平，與內心真的沒有不平是兩回事。說[安息在主裡]、[忍耐等候主]多麼容易，但風浪一至，生活落在困逼苦惱中，真能安息在主裡麼？若這個[不要]在此行不通，在其他方面就更無功效。這[不要]不但要在平安無事的日子行得通，也必須在煩惱的日子行得通，否則，這就完全沒有意義。再者，若在你身上行不通，就別希冀在別人身上行得通了。安心靠主是完全不仗賴外在得環境，只在乎你與神的關係。

不安結果總變成罪。我們以為一點點的焦慮憂心是表示自己的聰明，其實這正顯示我們的劣根性。不安不平是從偏行己路而來的。我們的主從不焦慮，從不憂心，因為他來到世上並非為了自己，乃是要實現神的旨意。你若是神的兒女，心懷不平是壞透了的。

你是否認為當前的處境連神也難倒道了？這個思想是否支撐著你愚頑的心？把所有[假如]放在一旁，住在全能者的蔭下。鄭重的對神說你不再為那事心懷不平。一切的不平與掛慮，其實是離開神而自作打算。

祈禱◆主啊，我自覺深切地渴慕你和你的生命，我從詩篇九十一篇中找到保證——[他必救你]。主啊，我對它深信不疑，並且，為著你保護看顧我，我感謝你。