“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! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” Ps. 37:7-8

Fretting gnaws at and erodes our “sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) Three times in Psalm 37, David tells us not to fret because of what evil people do. If we add New Testament scripture to that, the Bible exhorts us not to worry at all, about anything.

We are admonished to not cling to troubling thoughts nor let them build up as heated frets. We are to discipline our hearts and minds to “live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV), to “not worry about tomorrow.” (Matt. 6:34 NKJV)??

Our lack of faith, our worrying, our fretting, does nothing for us. Well, I take that back. It is stress and causes all sorts of physical ailments. Having a concern and making plans, like stocking up for a predicted storm, is fine and good sense, but worrying or fretting over the outcome of some future event is not good for our mental, or physical, health.

Jesus said, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matt. 6:34 Msg)

If we are worried or fretful, we seek to be self-sufficient, not needing the Lord’s help. God is already in the future and will be there when you get there. So do not to fret or worry!

Lord, I come to Your throne heavy-hearted. Your word says for those who are heavy laden to come to You and You will give them rest. I come to You and lay these frets and burdens at Your feet as I venture out into my journey for this day, resting in the knowledge that You work all things together for good for those who love You. I know You will supply all my needs for this day. Fill me with the joy of Your presence. In Jesus' name, amen!

Take Action

Make a list of your frets and worries in a column on the left side of a page. Next to it, start another column. Opposite each fret/worry, find a Bible verse that addresses it and write it out. Maybe add a third column to your list for a message of what the Lord is speaking to your heart about each fret. Write out each verse on a sticky note and place it where you will see it most often, like the refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Replace each fret/worry with praise. If you practice this, you will be amazed at what happens.


Learn not to google your worries. 



Tags: worry anxiety