Few things have a greater potential to adversely impact even the most faithful believer than worries and envies. The reason I say this is because worries and envies are always accompanied by anger, fear, loneliness and rejection. These emotions are so powerful that they have the potential to move us into behaviors that fall outside of our moral, ethical, financial and relational beliefs. They are so strong that in anger we can hurt the people we love the most. Because of our fears of the future we will say and do things that go against or own principles and values. We can feel so lonely that we move into dangerous relationships. And we can feel so hurt by rejection that it can cause us to act in a manner that hurts the people who love and depend on us the most.

Psalms 37:1-2 NLT

1Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
2For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers.

Because of the emotions involved in worries and envies they have the potential to lead us into catastrophic decisions. Worries say, the future is closing in and nothing is changing so you must take control. Envies say, I’m not getting what I want, what I deserve, or what I was promised so I’ll get it by hook or crook. The voices of worries and envies become so powerful within us that they cause us to make catastrophic financial, ethical, moral and relational decisions that in the past we advised others not to make.

Psalms 37:3-7 NLT

3Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 6He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosperor fret about their wicked schemes.

When worries and or envies invade our lives the tendency is to think that God is not in control. The tendency is to think since God is not in control I will have to take control. The truth is that no matter what the circumstances are, what we see or what we feel, God is always in control. The truth of the matter is that if we focus on the circumstances in our lives, worries and envies will rush in. But if we choose to focus in on God, we will see and recognize that God does his best work in the difficult circumstances of our lives. Just look at it this way, isn’t it true that the greatest tragedy in the history of mankind was the crucifixion of the Son of God? But isn’t it also true that God turned the most tragic circumstance ever into the greatest event in the History of mankind … the resurrection of his son Jesus?

In Psalms 37 king David tells us no matter how difficult your circumstances, don’t worry don’t become envious. Rather, trust in the Lord and do what is right. Delight in the Lord, commit everything to the Lord, and wait on him to act, for God is always in control.

It simple, when things are not going your way, trust in the Lord, do what is right and wait for him to act.

Heavenly Father, I know it’s easy to trust you when everything is fine, but when circumstances are difficult I tend to be impatient and filled with envy. Show me how to guard my heart and help me to trust you regardless of what is happening, that way I know I can make wise deciciones knowing that You are in control of everything.