Don't worry, have patience

Sunday's scripture reading at Worship in a New Key was Psalm 37:1-9, David's song saying "don't worry, have patience."

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
    like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

(As a lover of crossword puzzles, I particularly like the footnote at the end.)

Back to my thoughts for what they are worth. When I heard the message in church I thought about how my memoir writing business is taking off much slower than I hoped. I thought it would be a case of build it and they will come. Everyone I talk to imagines someone whose story should be preserved, or more often should have been preserved. Most don't see the value in preserving their story (I think that feels too end of life), but do see the value in preserving history. My eyes dance when I talk about the stories I have collected, and the stories I want to collect. Hearing this read I heard the mantra "do not fret." 

There are other scriptures about worrying never adding another day to one's life (Matthew 6:27 and Luke 12:25). They are good reminders as we face trials. Sometimes it feels the things we worry most about (a bad diagnosis, taking a test, etc.), don't come about. It is easy to then think "I should worry about these things so they don't happen," but worrying doesn't solve anything.

As I pondered this scripture even more I thought about the current US Presidential election. Both sides say the other side is "evil." I have a friend who will not utter the name of the male candidate and instead calls him "the evil one." I know others who as soon as you say something bad about him, retort "she lied" or "she deleted millions of emails." Can we all agree neither one is perfect? They are polar opposites of each other. If you are a self-described Centrist, there is no good choice. Period.

Perhaps if more of us could:

Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:

TRUST. Trust in the Lord. Take DELIGHT in the Lord. Even during an election cycle when neither candidate seems that interested in God. Even with so much hate being spewed. Even as we see FB posts comparing "him" to Hitler and "her" as a liar. Even as we lost respect for people we used to love and trust based on how they are voting. 

Even as I struggle to find myself and my voice in this crazy world. Even as I wonder what God has in store for me. Even as I second guess past decisions and fret about current ones. I need to keep reminding myself that God has my back. I need to trust in Him. Even more so, I need to take DELIGHT in Him.

Help me to trust Him. Help me to take delight in Him.

To thine be the glory.
Amen.