A Psalm for Those Who Always Feel Rushed (Psalm 37)
By Sarah Frazer
Bible Reading
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:7 (ESV)
My oldest daughter does not like to be in a hurry. Over the past few months, I’ve had to wake her up a little earlier than everyone else on school days. I sneak into her room, turn off her sound machine, and whisper, “Good morning.” She takes longer to get ready, and I understand the need for a slow morning. I don’t like to feel like I’m in a hurry.
My favorite time of the day is the morning. But when we get to sleep in and enjoy the morning without being rushed, those are my absolute favorite times. My life feels like I’m in a hurry most of the time. One thing I have tried to implement lately, taken from my daughter, is to stop rushing through my days.
There is something about waiting and being still that doesn’t seem productive. I struggle with the need to feel like I’m working all the time. But if there is a pocket of time I’m learning the beauty of sitting still and just being there. No agenda, no job, no need to be productive.
As I study the Bible, I’ve seen over and over again that our God is not in a hurry.
In Psalm 37, we see David, the author, providing us with a blueprint for the life of the one who loves God. There are several command words in this chapter. Words like “Fret not, trust, delight, commit, and be still.” David is reminding us that, yes, our world is filled with rush, hurry, and evil, but God’s ways are different.
Our God is never in a hurry because He is always on time. When Paul, in Acts 16:6, wanted to go to Asia to spread the Gospel, God forbade it. It wasn’t that the Gospel wasn’t supposed to go to Asia. It would eventually. The call to go the opposite direction was a matter of timing. God led Paul and his companions to Macedonia instead. God had a plan for you and me as well. As His children, can trust His plan.
We get impatient waiting for God to intervene, though, don’t we? We want to see our prayers answered in ways and in the timing we desire. Sometimes, God’s timing seems unnecessarily long. Psalm 37:7 reminds us to wait for God and be still. David says why we should wait.
“In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” Psalm 37:10-11 (ESV)
The word meek here means “humble, poor, and needy.” God calls His children to be humble. It is humbling to wait. The rich get served first in fancy restaurants, and those with power seem to move ahead of the line. The evil in this world feels like it is never punished, but according to God’s word we need only wait “a little while.”
In God’s kingdom, God controls the events and the timing. We can trust and commit our hearts to God because we know, like David, “{God} is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing” (Psalm 37:26). God is providing for each of us generously, we need only be His child and hold His hand.
We often get in a hurry because we want things right away or feel as if we have waited long enough. Our prayers feel like they are not even making a difference because we don’t see any change in our lives. This is when we trust like David did:
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV)
God is a worthy provider and will not lead us astray. That also means that even though we might feel like we are waiting, we are still moving forward. Our mindsets can get stuck in this idea that we have to be busy and work hard. Although we do not neglect what God has entrusted us to do, we often mistake busyness with Christian duty.
Being productive is not one of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:23-24. God does not ask us to just get things done. God is asking us to be still throughout our day, too. God asks us to trust Him. Remember that God is not in a hurry, and so He is asking us not to be either.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
If your life feels too rushed and busy, how can you stop today and spend time just being still and listening to God’s voice? What are you waiting for God to do in your life? How can you hand that over to Him, trusting that He will do it in His timing and in His way?
Further Reading:
Acts 16:6-10
John 11:1-6, 21-27
Galatians 6:9
Romans 12:12
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/fizkes
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