WHEN WE ARE SURROUNDED BY EVILNESS, HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
(Psalm 37:1)

MEDITATION:
It is difficult for followers of Christ to see 
the increase of evilness in the world without it affecting them emotionally. 
We could be having a great day until we see 
some heinous act of evilness that threatens our joy and happiness.

How should we handle it whenever we feel helpless 
and unable to do anything to stop the evilness in our world?
The scriptures tell us 
to “not fret” or “be envious” of the evil actions of others.
The dictionary defines “fret” as 
“being constantly or visibly worried, or anxious”.
It means that we can have concerns about evil actions, but they should not 
become all-consuming and dominate our thinking and emotions.

We are also told 
to not allow the success of those involved in evilness to affect our lives.
If we allow him to, Satan can create in us 
a life that is under the control of peer pressure.
And when he is successful, we can find ourselves trying to compete with others, 
instead of having a heartfelt and sincere appreciation for what God has given us.

In the second verse of Psalm 37, God assures us that He is still in control.
for like the grass they will soon wither, 
like green plants they will soon die away. (Psalm 37:2)

Then, we are given instructions of what we should do instead of “fretting”.
Our focus should be on trusting that the Lord is in control, and enjoying the 
good things He provides, rather than allowing evilness to spoil our happiness.
We are told to replace our mind-consuming thoughts about the evilness 
that surrounds us, with a focus on the good things we can do as believers.

Again, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t concerned about evil, 
but we have made a choice to not let it control our happiness.
Instead, we have decided to draw closer to the One who blesses us.
Trust in the LORD and do good; 
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. (Psalm 37:3)

When we “do good” and strive for a closer relationship with the Lord,
we discover that we can “delight” in His presence and His desires for us.
The Lord will bless believers and answer their prayers 
whenever they are in alignment with what He wants for us. 
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 
(Psalm 37:4)

Changing our attention from the evil we see to the unseen Lord is not 
something that ‘just happens’, but it requires a sincere commitment on our part.
We have to make a conscious effort 
to alter our thinking and trust God in all things.
And when we are successful, we have used the things 
designed to disrupt our happiness as motivation for goodness. 
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: (Psalm 37:5)

Lastly, we are told that our efforts to “do good” will not be hidden, 
but will be visible for all for all to see.
We don’t have to constantly tell others about the good things 
we have been doing, and we shouldn’t feel the need to brag about 
our righteousness, because God will reveal it to others on His timetable.
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:6)

ACTION:
Living our faith daily and consistently, 
is a great way to be a witness to others.
The lost are less likely to be interested in following the Lord 
if they see a lack of commitment in the Christians they know.
Why would they want to surrender and commit their lives to the Lord,
if they cannot see the surrender and commitment in the lives of believers?

Have you ever thought about the impact you can have on lost souls 
when you focus on “doing good” and “living a righteous life”?
God tells us that these two things (doing good and living righteously)
are actions that help us avoid “fretting” over the evil around us.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your assurance that no matter how 
dark and gloomy the world may seem as a result of evilness, You are 
still in control! Help me to release the grip and influence that evilness 
has on my life and give me the determination to live righteously, do 
good, and trust You at all times. Remind me that my life and level of 
commitment to You can have a positive impact on lost people.”

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