Do not fret, it only leads to evil

yesterday morning I boarded a plane to England.. sick as a dog and rather distressed because of all that has been going on over the last little while, I dreaded having to be on that plane.. coughing my lungs out and just feeling plain weary from trying to beat this flu or whatever it is, I knew that this was going to be a very long seven hours....

had to say Goodbye to my last little furry companion last week, poor little trooper had gotten so very sick, the vet told us even with life prolonging measures he would only have a few weeks to live.. so we decided the in my opinion really "undecidable"... we put him to sleep..

there is a wide gap between in your head understanding something is the best solution and holding your puppy as his heart stops because you asked the vet to put an overdose of anesthetic into his vein.. sad and heartbreaking, that's for sure..

a legal matter, because of something done in my name a very long time ago, needed my attention the next day and let me just say that I do hope I never have to do anything like that again.
I left discouraged and even a bit frightened.

facing something that most likely ( I think now ) will happen in the near future, losing all that on an earthly level one would call "security" unsettled me deeply.

it was so much clearer right then and there why God gave us this scripture just a week earlier :

...though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, 

yet my unfailing love for you will never be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, 

says the Lord who has compassion on you.... 

Isaiah 54:10

I knew that this was huge when we read it in one of the devotionals we read each day...

my "in house counsel", my "almost done law school" daughter and her boyfriend confirmed some of the fears surrounding this and so after seeing them on Sunday I fell into some deep turmoil ( being sick and having to leave my husband for 12 days did not help )

another email devotion I receive every morning had a verse in Psalm 37 for me yesterday before boarding my plane.. finding it to hit the spot I read and meditated on Psalm 37 for a very long time during the 7 hours of my flight..

I prayed through it and personalized it for me.. amazes me how there is really nothing we can encounter that has not been addressed at least once in the scriptures..

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

   fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

    over the man who carries out evil devices!

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

For the evildoers shall be cut off,

    but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Psalm 37: 7-9

in my distress and my fear, I was fretting ( and I might b wrong but I take this as being anxious and afraid ) for sure, I was tempted to look at this with earthly eyes, I was tempted to take measures into my own hands and do things I wouldn't do otherwise..

fretting leads only to evil... fretting is taking my eyes off Jesus, the One from whom my help comes  the one who knows the beginning and the end, who gives and takes away, whose ways are not my ways, they are much higher, who loves me with an everlasting love and is my Jehovah Jireh, my Provider... He has been faithful before and I know He always will be..

I will not do anything that goes against He "prescribes" because this is also true:

Stepping outside of the boundaries of God's wise commands never will lead you anywhere good. Knowing what's right is a grace.

Paul David Tripp

stepping on the plane I was fretting, fear had gripped me. stepping off the plane I had my feet planted firmly where they are meant to be. standing on the rock I will trust Him and hold with open hands that which was given.. it might be taken away if that's what my loving Heavenly Father has in mind.. but I know that I will stay right smack in the middle of His will when staying under the umbrella of His authority, trusting Him to take care of me..

the covenant of peace cannot be removed.. 

The wicked borrows but does not pay back,

    but the righteous is generous and gives;

 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,

    but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

    when he delights in his way;

though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

    for the Lord upholds his hand.

 I have been young, and now am old,

    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

    or his children begging for bread.

He is ever lending generously,

    and his children become a blessing.

Turn away from evil and do good;

    so shall you dwell forever.

For the Lord loves justice;

    he will not forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever

I am forever grateful