What Could Possibly Go Right?

Read the Word

Text: Psalm 37: 1 – 8

Key Verses: v 1, 7, 8: Do not fret (“fret”: any form of inner disquiet, i.e. anger, worry, fear, jealousy, resentment, brooding, etc.)

Resources mentioned in the sermon

1. TED Talk by DeWitt Jones: Celebrate What's Right With the World
2. Greater Good Science Center
3. Fix the News: Time for a change
4. Hope is a Verb podcast - available wherever you get podcast

Reflect on the Message

How do you “delight yourself in the Lord?”

One way to “delight yourself in the Lord” (V4) is to focus your thoughts on what is going right in your life. What are 5 things that are going right in your life as it is today? Can you think of 2 more? And 2 more?

What do you worry about?

One cause of worry (a form of “fretting”) is when we speculate about a person or thing or upcoming event or procedure and think about all that could go wrong. Select one thing, or person or upcoming event or activity that you are worrying about and ask yourself “what could go right?”. Write or speak your responses.

What can I do instead of “fretting”?

While Vs 1, 7 and 8 state “do not fret”, the other verses are filled with actions we can take instead:

• V3: Trust in the Lord…do good…dwell in the land…cultivate faithfulness
• V4: Delight yourself in the Lord…
• V5: Commit your way to the Lord…trust also in Him
• V7: Rest in the Lord…wait patiently
• V8: Cease from anger…forsake wrath

Which of these alternatives can you choose to do instead of fretting? Describe howyou might enact the one you selected.

What’s the big deal? Isn’t “fretting” just part of being human?

In just 8 verses of Psalm 37, “Do not fret” is stated 3 times, and there are many other verses throughout the Old and New Testaments that give a similar message (such as Joshua 1:9, John 14:27, Phil. 4:6 and many others). Why do you think God “commands” us to not be afraid, to not fret, to not be anxious? What is he calling us to do instead?

Pray in Response

Reframe my focus

God of joy and abundance, I confess that I often focus more on what is “wrong” with aspects of my life rather than on the many blessings from you. Help me to daily choose to “delight myself in the Lord” by focusing on all that is going right.

Surrender my worry

God of peace, help me to identify and bring my worries to you and leave them in your care so that I may, as V3 states, “trust in you, do good, and cultivate faithfulness”.

Embracing my human-ness and responding to your command

Loving God, I know that I “fret” in many ways throughout any given day, and that you love me in each of those moments. Continue to help me be aware of times of worry, anxiousness, fear, anger and with your grace, help me to turn to you and replace these moments with gratitude, thankfulness, peace, and humility that I may better serve you and those around me.