Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes. — Psalm 37:7-8.
There’s a deep-seated frustration that comes from watching someone succeed through what seems like a rigged game. This feeling is captured perfectly by Psalm 37. It’s the sting of seeing a person with less talent, less integrity, or less effort walk away with the prize while those who have worked diligently are left in the shadows. We’ve been taught that hard work, honesty, and skill should be rewarded. When the world doesn’t operate by these rules, we feel a powerful sense of injustice.
This feeling of being cheated or overlooked is what the psalmist calls “fretting.” It’s more than just annoyance; it’s an agitated state of mind where we become consumed by what is wrong. We get caught in a cycle of anger, envy, and worry, and it can be all-consuming. Friends want to “do something, now!” are in this very place. They feel a sense of powerlessness, and that feeling is what fuels the desire for immediate action, for a quick fix to an unfair situation.
The advice to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” seems almost counterintuitive in our fast-paced, action-oriented world. Our first instinct is to fight, to argue, to demand justice. The psalmist, however, offers a different path.
This isn’t a call to passive surrender or to simply give up. Rather, it’s a radical act of faith. Being still is about consciously stepping out of the frantic cycle of fretting and trusting that there is a larger, more comprehensive perspective at play. It’s about letting go of our need to control the outcome and, instead, putting our faith in a higher order of justice. This kind of stillness is not a weakness; it’s a profound inner strength that allows us to find peace even when the external world is in chaos.
My grandmother’s wisdom, “All in good time, all in good time,” echoes this sentiment perfectly. She understood that life unfolds on its own timeline, not ours. Developing the skill of patience is like building a muscle; it requires consistent practice and can be difficult to acquire. But once you have it, you gain a shield against the emotional turmoil caused by impatience.
Patience gives you the clarity to see that a person’s immediate success, especially when built on shaky ground, may not last. While others are running on a treadmill of frantic effort and worry, the one who is still and patient is waiting for the right moment, for the right opportunities, and for a deeper sense of peace. This kind of patience serves you well for a lifetime, providing an anchor in the face of temporary injustice and a quiet confidence that a life built on solid values will, in time, prove its worth.
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