When My Heart Begins To Fret

The Quill and Me—Devotional Blog•Oswald Chambers Reflections

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A single reddish‑brown leaf floating on still, pale blue water with soft, blurred light in the background.

July 4
Today's Reading: My Utmost for His Highest
Psalm 37:8
"Do not fret—it only causes harm"

When My Heart Begins to Fret

Chambers message today hit me right in the center of my chest. I have been guilty of fretting lately. I have some changes coming up on my horizon, and I cannot see them clearly. Yet I already want to start making plans for a future I know nothing about. It is all in the Lord's hands, and He has not shown me my steps. So I have been worrying.

I know that it is wrong. I know I cannot change one thing by worrying about it. And when I realize what I am doing, I take it to Him and tell Him all about it. His peace returns to my heart, to my life.

Chambers says worrying always results in sin because it shows our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious about anything. His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans, but to fulfill the Father's will. That was always His main concern.

My concern should be the same. My calling, my walk, my obedience—all of it depends on me doing the Lord's will. His will for me right now is to work through this book and share the transformation He has wrought in me. And here I am fretting because I am not getting my way. Fretting for a child of God is sin.

It has been easy for me to say, "Rest in Him" and "Trust in Him," but it is not easy for me to live it. I know it is not easy for you either. But we do not lose our way. We return to Him, always, with a humble apology, and we try again to patiently wait for God's timing.

I have no choice but to wait, because otherwise I am miserable in my worry and cannot face myself. So I stomp on my disobedience and get myself back in shape. I tell the Lord I will not fret anymore and ask Him to help me. And I stop planning without God.

Once you realize He is teaching you in the small things not to fret, you begin to see how He prepares you to rest in Him when the bigger things come later—the things you truly must wait for.

I have just realized: I lived another devotional before writing about it.

Breath Prayer

Lord, quiet my fretting.

Teach me how to wait.

Selah

~ Quil

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Scripture References

Psalm 37:8 — Do not fret; it only causes harm.
Psalm 37:7 — Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Philippians 4:6 — Be anxious for nothing…
Matthew 6:34 — Do not worry about tomorrow.
James 1:20 — Human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.

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