Finding a Fortress from Fretting

Fretting. That gnawing sensation in the pit of our stomach, often found escorting doubts that either we aren’t enough, or our actions are all for nothing. How do we overcome it? Especially when it reaches the all-consuming stage, defining who we are and parading our worst fears before our eyes.

In His great love, God has not left us defenseless against our fret-some foe. Apparently, fretting has been made its sickening rounds on mankind for centuries since God inspired entire psalm about it. You haven’t heard of it? Then please let me introduce you to a good friend, Psalm 37.

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. (vs. 1)

Our psalmist doesn’t waste anytime getting to the point of how to overcome fretting: don’t do it. As if once isn’t enough, this command is repeated in this psalm two more times. But HOW? How do we stop chronic fretting, especially when about legitimate concerns like evildoers interfering with how we raise our families? I don’t even have children of my own yet, but that hasn’t stop me spending my fair share of time wondering how I will raise them in an ungodly world. I can only imagine how it increases when their faces are actually before you, trusting you, looking up to you.

Nonetheless, our loving Father knew fretting does us more harm than good; so He commanded us not to do it. Instead He instructs what to do to defeat it.

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. (vs. 3)

To trust God is the opposite of fretting. Like a man entrusts his treasure to the bank, so we must entrust our little ones, our homeschooling, our future, our hopes to the Lord.

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (vs. 4)

You want to know one of the most practical ways you can obey God’s command not to fret? Sing. Sing long, sing loud. Sing early; sing late. If you feel hypocritical because the delight in the words doesn’t match your heart, sing asking God to fill you with delight. He loves to fulfill such requests for His children.

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. (vs. 5)

What is the way you fret will be interrupted? Is it the way you train your children? Their way to salvation or them simply making their way in a predatory world? Commit it until the Lord with a trusting heart and He will bring it to pass.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (vs. 7)

Until Jesus returns we are going to see men bringing about wicked devices. We shouldn’t be surprised, yet we also need not be dismayed. Our God sees and our God knows we need rest. So calls us to come. Weary mama hens, come. Wilting guards of your homes, come. Watchful prayer warriors for your children’s souls, come. Come to the One Who is your Rest; then go and fret no more.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

(Psalm 37:9)

Kenzi Knapp is a follower of Christ, homeschool graduate and student of history. A fourth generation Missourian she enjoys writing about daily life enrolled in Gods great course of faith and His story throughout the ages at her blog, Honey Rock Hills.