Do You Fret Because of Evil?

In a world full of sin and injustice, it is easy to fall into worry, to wonder what will happen, to be distressed over the seeming success of the wicked and ruin of the righteous. Why does God seem to ignore injustice? Why do those who cheat and lie seem to never get caught? Why do the good suffer while the bad get away Scott-free? Questions like these can cause one to fret and lead to other questions like: does God care? Is He really good? Is He really in control?

There are two psalms I like to turn to when faced with situations like these: Psalms 37 and 73. One was written by David, the other by Asaph, but both deal with these kinds of questions and issues. Both writers were dealing with those feelings at that time, and both are worth reading in their entirety.

Psalm 37:1,7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers…

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

David knew what it was to suffer at the hands of wicked men, to be wrongfully accused and punished. Yet he also knew where to turn in such times. He knew to Whom he should turn. He knew that he could trust God, that God is good and just and righteous. He encourages us to trust God, to not only trust but to rest in Him. This involves much more than acknowledging that God is in control. It includes relying on God. Taking everything to Him and leaving it there, resting in His powerful arms to take care of the problem. It means that our trust in Him makes us able to truly rest.

David knew that the evil don’t really get away with it, that they do eventually get what they have coming to them. It may not happen the way we think it should, or in our timeline. We may not even see it happen, but we can rest assured that it will. God is a God of justice. Sin is always paid for somehow.

Psalm 37:4-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

Instead of focusing on what is wrong, we should focus on God. We should make Him our delight, and because we always have Him, we will always be delighted. He knows how to satisfy us, how to fulfill our desires. We need to commit ourselves to God, to living His way. Then He will make our righteousness known so that others know we are His.

Asaph warns us of what will happen if we give in to worry, if we allow worry and fretting to consume our hearts.

Psalm 73:1-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.

Asaph was distressed because of the prosperity of those who do wrong. The unfairness angered him and he was jealous. Of course, his concerns were legitimate, but he allowed them to question God’s goodness and justice which caused him to fall.

Psalm 73:16-19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.
Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

Asaph did not gain peace or understanding until he came to God. There, in the presence of God, he poured out his heart, he gained understanding and God calmed his heart. He saw then that the wicked do pay for their wickedness. It may not happen until the end of time, when all will face the judgment seat, but it will happen, and then those who have not repented will face eternal punishment. We should instead feel sorry for them, for the destruction and torment they face, and desire for them to be saved and turn from their ways.

Psalm 73:21-24 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,
Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.

Allowing injustice to embitter us is dangerous. It only leads to our own ruin. It makes us ignorant, to the truth and to God. We need to remember that we are always before God, that He loves us and cares for us, that He is always just. We need to remain or return to His presence so that we can see the way He does, have His perspective on life and allow Him to guide us.

Psalm 73:25-28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.

When you are troubled by all that is wrong in this world, remember that you have God, that He is your inheritance, far greater than anything the world has to offer. He is your strength even when you are weak and with Him you will be saved. Being close to Him is the best you could ever have! Let Him be your refuge. Tell Him all your worries and rest in Him.