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Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalms 37:4
Psalms 37:1-8
1 Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7 Be still in the presence of the LORD and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper – it only leads to harm.
What is anger?
Anger is a common emotion experienced by individuals in various situations. It can stem from personal frustrations, societal challenges, political divisions, or other sources of stress and conflict. Anger arises as a natural emotional reaction to external or internal events perceived as threatening, violating, or unjust. It is widely believed that anger is closely linked to the fight or flight response, which protects against potential dangers.
The process leading to anger involves an emotional response cycle. Emotions can be triggered by internal factors such as thoughts, feelings, physiological states, or external events. These events are swiftly interpreted by our thoughts, often unconsciously. Our perception and comprehension of these events then give rise to internal neurochemical reactions, resulting in the experience of anger. We may respond to anger by generating more internal thoughts or emotions and/or externalizing it through our behavior and actions (uhs.berkeley.edu/bewellatwork).
How frequently do we find ourselves disturbed when we hit bumps in the road when we do not get our own way or what we expected? Instead of maintaining composure and staying calm, we often respond with anger. Sadly, it doesn’t stop there, and we reach a state of fury.
Take a moment to reflect and ask yourself, what purpose does getting angry serve?
The short answer: none! Anger solves nothing and only deepens divisions and multiplies the very problems the angry claim they want to resolve. “Anger, resentment, and jealousy don’t change the heart of others – it only changes yours” (Shannon L. Alder).
A longer answer: Man’s anger does not produce God’s righteousness (James 1:20).
The Father provides a more excellent way. Rather than becoming critical, agitated, or angry, we have the choice to respond rather than react. We can look at the big picture. We can choose not to fret.
Psalms 37:1 Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers.
The Hebrew word charah, translated as fret or worry, means to burn, get heated up, become agitated, or irritated.
“David’s message was, ‘Cool down and keep cool!’. . . He argues that the wicked are temporary and will one day be gone” (Wiersbe). A fretting heart is not a trusting heart. Fretting leads to anger. “David gave one negative instruction – “Don’t fret” Psalms 37:1, 7, 8) – and four positive instructions: trust in the Lord (Psalms 37:3), delight in the Lord (Psalms 37:4), commit yourself to the Lord (Psalms 37:5-6), and rest in the Lord (Psalms 37:7)” (Wiersbe).
Instead of merely suppressing our innate negative reactions and emotions, we can cultivate the art and skill of replacing them with positive ones. David shows the way for every child of the King. He lived by trusting the Father and doing good, taking delight in the Father’s presence. David committed everything he did to the Father and knew that the Father had his back and would provide assistance when needed.
James provides similar advice.
James 1:2-4
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
REFLECT & PRAY
Is it really that simple? Yes, absolutely! Rather than reacting impulsively, with raw emotions to the difficulties of life, every child of the King can learn and practice the skill of following the Father’s guidance by remaining calm and engaging in thoughtful reflection.
Father I recognize how often I fret and become angry when I do not get my way. This is quite natural. Encourage and strengthen me to live in alignment with the life principles You have set forth for children of the King.
INSIGHT
Indeed, there is more! As we diligently learn and apply the Father’s teachings, a wondrous outcome awaits, an unforeseen blessing. He gives us the desires of our hearts, fulfilling our most cherished aspirations (UBS). Our deepest longing can be realized as we learn to delight ourselves in the Father’s presence and ways.
Psalms 37:4-5
4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.
What does it mean to delight in the Father? It doesn’t imply behaving like children who exuberantly bubble with joy when they receive something they desire. Delighting in the Father goes beyond merely focusing on what He does for us or the gifts He bestows upon us. It is centered on recognizing and cherishing Who and What He is. His nature is not merely to care for His beloved children of the King but to pamper them. How remarkable it is to have such an incredible and loving Father.
To delight means to take pleasure in, enjoy, and be satisfied with. The Hebrew word anog, translated as delight, comes from a root that means to be brought up delicately, to be brought up in luxury, to be pampered.
It has the sense of enjoying being “pampered” by the Father. It is about learning to take delight in Who He is. He is the source of the innermost happiness and joy of every child of the King. “It is also possible to say, for example, ‘The Lord gives you joy. Take delight in it’” (UBS). The SPCL translates the phrase, “Love the Lord with tenderness” (UBS). Our joy and blessings are found in the Lord Himself, apart from what He gives us (Wiersbe).
On a purely human level, after a hard day’s work, we are relaxed, reinvigorated, and calm when we take a refreshing bath or shower. At moments like this, the world is good. We are delighted at the moment. As children of the King, when we learn to embrace and cherish our relationship with the Father, we discover immense joy in experiencing His wonderful and delightful nature.
For many of us, experiencing this delightful connection with the Father is not happening. Why not? Often, it is simply timing. Timing is everything. The Father works according to His predetermined script and timeline.
There is, of course, another possibility. We are not actually doing what He has told us to do. We are not following his guidance. Even though we are totally convinced we’re doing everything right, one or more of those things we are convinced about is wrong.
The choice is ours: to indulge in pointless, irritating fretting and anger, or to embrace incredible calmness and revel in the fulfillment of our deepest longings, what we desire the most.
1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
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© Dr. H 2023
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