1 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. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. Psalm 37:1-11
1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:1-10
Galatians 6:9 crossed my path several times last week, so I re-read Galatians 6. There is something about that verse which really touches me. It also sent me on a quest for verses with a similar theme, which I share below. Psalm 37 is particular poignant to me at this moment, because I had a small silly breakthrough.
I have a water bottle with the logo of my former company. It is one of those double-walled keeps your beverage hot/cold water bottles. Last week, I asked my son if I should fill his HUGE water bottle, my task almost every morning. He said – just a small one today. So I went to the cabinet and I saw this bottle. I didn’t react with anger or push it to the back. I asked him if that one would work.
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. Psalm 37:7-8
It is stupid, it is just a water bottle. But it didn’t make me angry for the first time in a very long time.
I believe I truly am beginning to find peace in this different path I am on. I had someone reach out last week, to let me know that the verses I post on Facebook give them comfort every time they see them. I had a stranger I met on substack help me connect someone else I know with a doctor that may put them on the treatment path that will help them. There are other examples. I still want justice, I still do not know if I will get justice, but I feel like I have already won, no matter the outcome, because of how I have changed. I am poorer in money and the ways measured by the world, but…I have changed in ways that make me kinder, more patient, less caught up in the unnecessary.
Dear God, thank you. Thank you for using what I lost to bring me closer to you. Thank you for using it to make me more aware of what I need to do differently for my children. Thank you for allowing me to be more present. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to “act today” in more than one instance over the last month. God, if it is your will, please bring justice to me and others. Dear God, if it is your will, please bring peace to Jerusalem. Please comfort the broken-hearted, no matter where they are. Please bring me discernment with the continued challenges I will face. Please be with the leaders of our country and give them guidance. Please open me up to allowing your Spirit to work in me, to keep me from being timid, permitting me to exercise power, love and self-discipline. Dear God, help me not to be anxious about what to come, but to have peace and comfort that you will give me the words I need at the moment I need them. Thank you for the gift of grace and for your mysterious ways. Amen.
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19
12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. 16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. 17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” Ecclesiastes 3:12-17
Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel—let it approach, let it come into view, so we may know it.” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Isaiah 5:18-21
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. Luke 12:11-12
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16
27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you. Proverbs 3:27-28
For any of you who are able, please consider sharing with this young man, who has had incredible medical bills and complications from the COVID vaccine.
Very happy for you! The suckiness, when you keep leaning into God, turns you into the new person who He uses as His hands and feet, which you feel, and makes life better regardless of other suckiness. It's strange, eh?
“I have already won” is an empowering thought. We can’t say it enough. I love Judge Jacob Braude's observation: "Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others." Getting ‘transformed by the renewing of our minds’ through God’s Word is the route to changing the world around us, which is in God's hands anyway, not in my tactics. Good post, Jennifer!