Psalm 37:8-9 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
I really did not want to confront the verse today, which dug into my past as a teen. My parents and I did not get along. We never saw eye to eye. I was angry at my mom for her view on entertainment and my dad for his view on dating. Neither of their objections seemed to fall in line with the Bible, so my reaction was to be bitter.
Now, the crux of the problem wasn't their view points, but my resistance to their authority. Even today, as I write this, the memories what existed angrily between us floods my mind and I am sad. After all, the movies I watch most are westerns made before 1960. I began dating when I was nineteen.
Many of you will question, "What was the problem? Your desires weren't out of line!" No, but my heart was! I did not pray about either, simply reacted. God had a plan for me...a future He'd planted in my heart. I had every desire to serve Him and a large part of that service was and is humility. And during my teens, I was anything but humble!
God isn't so interested in the job I have, nor the hobbies with which I entertain myself but my heart's attitude. His interest in my life is that I submit to authority, especially of my mom and dad while I was a teen, and to honor them. I didn't have to agree with them, but I did have to have a meekness for God to honor me.
From the time Satan rebelled, God has hated arrogance! It's easy to see why! All around us are people who hate order, justice, and law of any kind! God says they can't prosper! For all the years I chafed beneath the rules of my parents, God spoke to me and I saw how my family did NOT prosper during years when I resisted His leading.
I made peace with my dad when I was in my thirties and we enjoyed a friendship until the day he died. God has blessed our family with peace, love and prosperity of heart for the years since, as we honor Him.
Much of society around us rebels against God in numerous ways, while not understanding the judgement of the Lord in their lives. Submission to the Lord, release of anger, brings our hearts in line with our Creator and opens the doors of blessing!
Lord, may humility mark our lives as we walk forth into this world each day.
