The To Do List of Psalm 37

Continuing with my in depth study of Psalm 37, I made a list of "to do's" and "to don't's"

1. Do not fret (v1)
2. Trust in the Lord and do good (v3)
3. Delight yourself in the Lord (v4)
4. Commit your way to the Lord (v5)
5. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently (v7)
6. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath (v8)
7. Turn from evil and do good (v27)
8. Hope in the Lord and keep his way. (v34)

I think the hardest two in that list for me are #1 and #5.  I don't believe I'm a worrier, but I think things through over and over and over, imagining a hundred different ways things could be different, better, whatever.  And yet, in Psalm 37, it doesn't first tell you to trust the Lord, or to commit your way to Him, or even hope in Him.  The very first thing you read is "Do not fret."

I had the blessing this week of God providing before we even knew the need.  He does that, you know.  Not always, but sometimes.  Through out the last 4 years (Mr. Curly's official, out of seminary ministry), I have learned that God tends to provide before I even see the need when I am fully trusting in Him, not worrying about where my daily bread will come from, or how we'll pay for whatever, or what we'll do about problem such-and-such.

And yet, even when I am practicing fully trusting, delighting in God's provision and fully commiting my way to Him, I fret, and I am not very still or patient.

I thank God that He loves me anyway, that He provides anyway, even when I struggle to fully follow His commands.

Read Psalm 37 with me this week, think about those do's and don'ts.  And if you feel like it - share what God says to you, or what your hardest one to follow is.
As for me, I'm going to go work on that not fretting being patient thing.