This week we will spend all week in Psalm 37. It is filled with rich promises from God that give us hope and direction for our lives. I devoted 3 days in my book, Promise for Dynamic Living, to this psalm. The psalmist, David, is addressing the fact that evil seems to be triumphant around us. He points us to the Lord and reminds us of who is in charge and why we should not fill our lives with worry.

Psalm 37:1-2 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
² For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb. Worry and envy are not to be in our hearts or on our minds when we consider the happenings in the world. The psalmist knows that evil doers will die and fade away like the spring grasses. They come up green but are short lived. They are soon brown and dried up. So the evil doers we encounter, will not be victorious and will not last.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. The psalmist says if we trust in God, do good, keep on living rightly, and delight ourselves in the Lord, we will be rewarded. That is a promise we can claim as we know God rewards those who follow Him in faith. Hebrews 11:1 and 6 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” ⁶ “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” God wants us to make faithfulness our friend and live daily for Him.

The promise in verse 4 is one we can surely claim in our daily lives and when we pray. I have often prayed this verse for friends who struggle with lifelong desires that do not seem to be in God’s will for their lives. Young men or women waiting for a godly mate (as they so want to be married), those who desire to have a child and cannot seem to conceive, others waiting on a much needed job, while still others struggle with the job they have, wanting to change directions, etc. These are just some of the things people wrestle with that may be considered the desires of their hearts. What I pray for those waiting on God’s timing and plan is that they will grow in trust and faithfulness. Also, that God would be their delight as they wait upon Him and that they would be able to call upon Him for strength and perseverance. I pray that they will be open to what God has for them.

Difficult times require me to delight myself in Him and cling to His faithfulness, trusting He has a perfect plan for my life. Sometimes that which we pray for as the ‘desires of our hearts’ God shows us, in His infinite wisdom, that He has something better for me. Again, I have to trust in Him and His wisdom. God knows me and my desires and He wants good things for me. I have to claim Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Whatever God has for me will be for my good and His glory. It is a walk of faith, day by day Fearless Living for Jesus.

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can walk in complete faith trusting in the completeness of His salvation and His plans for our life. Romans 10:13 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Hebrews 10:10 “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Depend upon Him and the truth of His Word.

Linda