Don’t Fret!

• What are some things you do when you get angry?

• Are you more likely to sin when you are angry? Why or why not?

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
Psalm 37:8

To “fret” means to worry, to be discontent, to be angry—basically, fretting is the opposite of being at peace. In this verse from psalms, King David tells us not to fret because fretting leads to evil. Worrying, discontentedness and anger all lead to evil actions. We might say that King David is telling us to calm down.

God wants us to be at peace. He doesn’t want us uptight, with our fists and teeth clenched. If we work to keep ourselves from anger, if we work to turn away from it, we can protect ourselves from the temptation to worry. On the other hand, if we give in to the sinful expression of anger, then we will charge headlong into a situation where we may end up making ourselves miserable with stress.

God wants better for us. He doesn’t want anger to lead us to sin. If we are angry, if we are fretting, we need to pray about that situation and consciously let God handle it. He will give us peace in whatever difficult circumstance we face.

PRAYER
Dear God, please help us to refrain from anger and turn from wrath. Please help us to not fret and to be at peace. Amen.