“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:1-3).
Feeding ourselves is a part of daily life. Food is necessary so that we may have the energy we need to live life. Most of us eat at least 3 meals a day and we look forward to partaking of delicious food. However, sometimes we do not eat food that is good for us. At times, we eat food that is high in caloric and fat content; and, instead of the food helping sustain our bodies, it can begin to harm our bodies. If you are like me and need to watch your diet, many times you may have to ask yourself when considering partaking of a food item, “Is this food I am about to eat good for me?”
In Psalm 37, David speaks about what he feeds his mind spiritually regarding to the types of thoughts on which he is meditating. For example, as the opening verse above show, one can feed his mind junk food by choosing to “fret because of evildoers” or be “envious of the workers of iniquity” (Psalm 37:1). This kind of thinking is not healthy for our minds and does not benefit us spiritually. In fact, it causes harm. David adds, “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 brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm” (Psalm 37:7-8).
Instead, David encourages us to think about positive thoughts of God and to “feed on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3). We need to fill our minds with thoughts of how God watches over our souls: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:23-24). As David reflects on God’s faithfulness to His people over the years of his personal life, he adds, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful and lends; and his descendants are blessed” (Psalm 37:25-26).
Rather than filling our minds with worrying about whether or not the wicked are going to escape justice, we need patiently wait for God, Who, in His faithfulness, will execute his righteous justice: “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it”, “for the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:34, 27-28). So much of the heartache that we face in our lives is caused by our choosing to feed ourselves with bad thoughts where we try to control the outcome of the things we face in our lives, instead of trusting in God and committing ourselves to His care: “But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him (Psalm 37:39-40).
As I read these words of David from Psalm 37, I ask myself, “On what am I feeding?” Am I feeding my mind with unhealthy thoughts of fretting over the apparent escape of the wicked from justice or am I partaking of healthy thoughts as I fill my mind with thoughts of God’s faithfulness to me and His people? Today, I will fill my mind with thoughts of God’s blessings and feed on His faithfulness!
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23)