“Fret not yourself; it leads only to evil” (Psalm 37:8).

There are a number of words in the English language that have a deep and significant meaning. “Fret” is one of those words. We don’t often use it; yet it often describes how we feel. The origin of the word can be traced back to the mid 12th century in England. It means “to eat or gnaw, to wear away or corrode something.” The word appears four times in the entire Bible and only in the Old Testament. Three of those occurrences are in Psalm 37.

With that in mind, what is it that causes us to fret? I think the answer to that is quite simple. When we are worried or anxious about life’s circumstances, our peace of mind is eaten away and our joy is gnawed on. I sit many nights watching my dog gnaw on bones we give to her. She will not give up until the bone is reduced to a small piece of what it was originally. That’s a good picture of what fretting does. It corrodes our peace, gnaws our joy, and eats away our focus on the Lord.

What then is the solution to fretting? Well, it sounds simplistic, but I believe the scriptures are quite clear in teaching that resting in the Lord as opposed to being swayed by circumstances is the antidote to fretting. The psalmist made it clear that fretting leads to evil. What he is saying is that fretting takes our eyes off the Lord, which always ends at some point in sin. You see, for some people it’s easy to assume that a little worry and anxiety reflects a measure of wisdom.

Friends, it’s just the opposite. Worry reflects our wickedness, not our wisdom; and for this reason. Resting in the Lord does not depend on external circumstances, but on the depth of our relationship with God. Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way. Need I remind you that Jesus never worried? He never fretted. The reason is because he was never out to get his own way, but rather to see the Father’s will accomplished in his life.

This leads us to a very important question. Do you find yourself in the midst of circumstances that cause you to fret? And further, are you of a mind that your current circumstances are too much for God to handle? If that describes how you feel right now, I have a very simple piece of wisdom for you to consider. Consciously put your fretting aside and dwell in the “shadow of the Almighty.” Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about your circumstances. Shift your focus off circumstances and onto the Lord, who has promised to never leave nor forsake you. Oswald Chambers put it this way; “All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.” Does that describe you? If so, tell God and ask him to make his presence so real to you that fretting fades and faith comes to the forefront. “Do not fret; it leads only to evil.”