Courage #5— Patient Courage

Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass, and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Eternal, and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Eternal and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:1–4

Some of our anxiety comes from not being able to answer the question: “Where is God’s justice?” When we see the wicked prosper, we wonder, “What good do we experience for keeping his commands?” When it appears that maintaining our allegiance to Jesus will detract from our joy in life, we worry. God’s people have asked these questions from the beginning. And his answer has always been, “Think long term. The things of the world will not last. I will.” We don’t hope for what we see now; we hope for what we do not yet see; so we persevere eagerly. We must not evaluate our circumstances by God’s current dealings with anyone else. He may be kind to the wicked for one of several reasons: His kindness could lead them to repentance; on the other hand, it shows more clearly the wickedness of their sin as they trust in their less than faithful possessions, which will all eventually disintegrate. Their temporal success is no guarantee of eternal joy. However, if we rely on God to be our eternal source of joy, if we do the good he commands, and if we wait for his perfectly timed justice, we can overcome the anxiety our hearts sometimes generate when we see the wicked succeed.

Gracious God, when my anxious heart weighs me  down, grant me the confidence to wait patiently for the promises you guaranteed through Jesus’ resurrection.