An Encouraging Word

     Do you need some encouragement?  I know that I do almost every day.  Life can be really difficult and unfair at times.  For the Christian, seeing the wicked prosper while we struggle to get ahead, can be  discouraging.  When will we see justice done?  Will our efforts ever pay off in the end as we seek to serve the Lord?  Certainly, we know that one day we will enter into eternal life with the Lord and find rest for our souls, but in the meantime,  what encouragement can we find?
     As I looked into Psalms today, once again, I found truth that brought me peace.  In Psalm 37, King David tells us:  "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!  For they will fade like the grass and wither like the green herb" (vs. 1-2).  How often do we get upset when we see a person who is breaking all the rules (laws) and yet, they seem to get away with it.  In fact, they are often applauded by the culture.  It is so easy to become embittered.  Nevertheless, we are instructed with a remedy that should bring us great encouragement.  Verses 3-4 read:  "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.  Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Within these verses, we are pointed to the direction that we need.
     Our first focus should be on the Lord and not on this world.  Trust me, it is easy to get wrapped up in what is happening daily all around us.  We see people getting ahead in business by crushing others in their wake or perhaps, we see someone getting promoted who has been cheating on the job.  It does seem unfair.  Yet, we are told to trust God, do good and befriend faithfulness.  To put it another way, continue doing what God has called you to do, and in due season, the blessings will come because God sees your heart.  We must not get wrapped up in what others are doing in this world.  God has not called us to fret over evildoers.  Verse 8-9 tells us:  "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!  Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.  For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land."  My mother used to tell me that getting upset over something we cannot change is a waste of energy and emotion.  She was right and so is God's Word!
     As we meditate on these verses, we can take away some practical words of wisdom.  We must, first, wait on God's timing.  He sees us and all our efforts.  When the moment is right, He will bring the blessings according to His will and plan for us.  Secondly, we need to learn to trust Him.  We know from the Word that He is good, and His love for us is unconditional.  Therefore, we must know that He has our best interests at heart all the time.  Thirdly, we need to continue to do good no matter what everyone else is doing around us.  God has called us to be His servants and ambassadors of the Good News.  Fourth, we are to plant ourselves wherever the Lord has placed us.  Work with a cheerful heart and allow the Lord to bring the harvest in His timing.  Fifth, we need to be faithful in what we are doing.  Don't be concerned about others around us.  Instead, think about how God has been faithful to us.  This will feed an attitude of gratitude!  Finally, we are to delight ourselves in the Lord.  He is our supplier, defender, sustainer and redeemer.  He will grant us the desires of our heart when He is the center of our life.
     Later in this Psalm
that King David wrote during his old age, we read these words that should also bring encouragement to us:  (vs. 35)"I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken."  When it comes to fulfilling His promises to the righteous, God never misses a beat.  While it may look like the wicked are cleaning up in this world, their day is coming when God will bring them to account.  Read the entire Psalm 37 and rejoice for the Lord will bless those who belong to Him.  He sees our situation and has promised to never leave or forsake us!  Selah!