LET THE LORD HANDLE IT

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

I was attending a company convention in the early years of my business, and I sat next to a pastor who was an investor in one of the other franchises. He reached out to me, listened to my plight, and shared the following verses with me from Psalm 37:

¹ Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
³ Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
⁵ Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
⁷ Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;

These were extremely important to me at the time, and I have incorporated them into my habits since then, sharing them with many others.

1. Fret not
   The New Testament corollary is Philippians 4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
2. Trust in the Lord
   See also Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
   Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, consider working the soil on your side. The best fertilizer is “composted failures.”
3. Delight yourself in the Lord
   This is placing your total focus on God. See Job 22:21-30 for further understanding.
   He will give you the desires of your heart. When God is in control, He can give you what you ask for, or provide new desires for you.
4. Commit your way to the Lord
   See also Proverbs 3:6: In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
5. Rest in the Lord
   Philippians 4:7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. …and wait patiently for Him; This might be the toughest part! But James 1:2 says, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Following these steps will not only reduce stress in your life, but will also increase your patience!

Think and pray
It’s easy to be preoccupied with the worries of the world. How might God be calling you to trust more in Him?

Father, help me to trust you implicitly with every aspect of my life, and help me to rest in you, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Eldon Kibbey has served as the Director of CBMC Indiana since 1998. His earlier career included a tour of duty with the US Air Force, a brief career in the aerospace industry with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, and then 26 years at the helm of a national janitorial service. Eldon and his wife, Sandy, are the parents of four children, and have three grandsons.