“Trust in the LORD and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3

Dwelling in the Land

I love to read Psalm 37. It’s very encouraging and gives good direction when I’m anxious or confused. It always seems to come back to this one fact: trust in the Lord. Trusting Him for outcomes when I see nothing. Trusting Him when things seem to be getting worse, not better. Trusting Him when I want to control things, yet He has the best path. Trusting Him when I don’t agree with things, or other people’s solutions.

Have you ever continually reacted negatively to something and you don’t know why? Recently, a recurring problem happened that I always react to. My reaction was anger, not love. Why does this thing bother me so much and what is it to me? It seems like common sense to me, but others have different convictions. I’ve been praying for help with this, for the Lord to show me why I react that way. I prayed for God to reveal the source, so I can confess the sin (besides the anger) and be changed.

I went for a walk to pray for the answer. The answer to my question had not yet showed up, I thought. But God continually reminded me of this verse, “Trust in the Lord, do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” So, I’ve changed my prayer to, “Lord, help me dwell in the land and feed on Your faithfulness.”

A few verses down in Psalm 37 is the encouragement to rest in the Lord and patiently wait. Then in verse 8, “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fear—it only causes harm.” I cling to the Lord in this praying for the Holy Spirit to fill me with His supernatural help. My resolve is in the Lord. Keeping focused and refreshed in Him. Not stewing over a problem that I cannot change. I can rest in the encouragement from verse 11: “But the meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

Allowing anger and/or dwelling on problems only make us anxious, and it is sin. Dwelling in His refreshing, peaceful land is the resolve. Commit to the Lord and place things in His capable hands.

I know some of us have this issue in different seasons, so I’m praying for His rest and peace to be our source. I’m praying that the reaction will be love so that God can use us in His kingdom and that we would not waste our time stewing and building resentment, but instead be blessed by the Lord in the process.

Dear Lord, wherever we’re at today, help us to dwell in Your land and feed on Your faithfulness. Thank You for always being our source of love and goodness. Help us to be meek, able to delight ourselves in the abundance of Your peace, trusting in You, and doing good. Amen.