It’s very easy to get caught up in the stresses of life. Looking around us, we see many things that are wrong that we desire to be made right. We exercise our energy to be a force for good and positive change, yet can be disappointed when the change we expect is slow in coming. Laboring both in prayer and in natural effort, we can find ourselves tired, worn-out, and hurting. This is not God’s plan for us. He makes himself clear in Jeremiah 29;11 “I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.”
When we put our trust in God, nothing is ever as dark as it seems. No matter what happens in our nation, at work, or at home, we can be confident that evil cannot ultimately triumph. John 1:4-5 tells us “The Word gave life to everything that was created,* and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Jesus is the Living Word and the Light: He has conquered satan and taken from him the power to afflict and bind those who call upon His Name.
DO NOT FRET
When it appears that evil wins a battle or two, we must stand our ground and be confident in what the Word reveals to us. For instance: “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” (Psa 37:1-2), informs us that the wicked cannot endure, that their day of reckoning is coming. God is fully aware of the actions of the wicked, and unless they repent, they will soon stand before Him without excuse.
We cannot look to this world for justice. Justice can never be meted out by those who are unjust. Only God is capable of justice, and while we wait for Him, we can remind ourselves to “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. (Psa 37:3-6)
GOD GIVES US REST
In these challenging end times it is important to stay focused on Jesus and His Word. He alone brings peace and rest in the midst of the storm. Psalm 37:7 says “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him,,,” We find rest in the knowledge that God grants us the desires of our hearts and that he will deal with the wicked. The rest He gives us will sustain us even when it seems the world has gone mad. “For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.” (Psa 37:9) Think about that when you hear the news that seems to indicate evil has won. Evil will not, and cannot defeat the plan of God!
