“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of Him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” Ps. 37:9
If this verse were only as easy as it sounds! I don’t know about you, but it is hard for me to “Rest in the Lord” AND it is ESPECIALLY hard for me to wait patiently for Him. (Particularly if things have not been going well for a while!) The second half of this verse is commenting on the discouraging fact that it seems that many of the “wicked” people of the world seem to prosper; while the ones who are trying to “live righteously” are not! What gives? Well, what comforts me in this topsy-turvey world is: There was a time when I was ignorant of living the way God endorsed. God was merciful to allow things to go as well as they did for as long as they did…and merciful when they started to turn pretty bad (pretty fast) to ALSO come to my rescue. The fact of it all is: God is merciful and God is gracious. If we REALLY believe that, we will be able to patiently wait on and trust in Him. (Especially if we are familiar with His nature!) Instead of being discouraged by the advancement of people who you feel “don’t deserve it”; just keep in mind that we ALL DON’T “deserve” the kind of mercy God has given to everyone!
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your mercy. Your grace has blessed me even before I acknowledged you in my life. I bow before you and ask for more mercy. I am sorry that I have let the “success” of others discourage me. It has been my distraction for a while. I keep forgetting that success in your eyes looks different than the kind of “success” that the world is impressed with. Help me to be satisfied where I should be, and to be motivated to push ahead where I need to. Give me the balance that will bring my mind peace in situations that most people would have none. Give me eyes to see the blessings I have been missing, as a thankful heart is never an unsatisfied one.”