Listen up, list makers! Why not try pursuing a different approach?
By Dean Collins
Some of us love a good list and some of us would prefer no list at all. Our individual personalities, histories, and skill sets all play into the ways we like to go about our day.
I suppose I always have a mental list of tasks and goals I am trying to accomplish, but I am not very good at writing them down. Some things are very linear, and some things less so. And much of what I do day-to-day happens in the cracks, the openings, the spaces that are less scheduled. The world needs both those who make lists and those who don’t, but it usually takes some grace, clarification, and communication for those with these different styles to work together successfully.
Depending on the challenges of a given season, I sometimes long for a long, ordered list of steps I can follow and know the predictable outcome. Other times I long for the blue sky or blank canvas where God’s creative spirit is unleashed in me and I can create and test new ways to serve and help others without the constraints of specific steps and far away from regulations and compliance demands.
A list to consider
I don’t think the psalmist was making a list in psalm 37 or a particular order of operations, but it might be worth putting a few items from his psalm in a list for our consideration. Here are 11 instructions I found in these 11 verses:
Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Take delight in the Lord.
Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him.
Be still in the presence of the Lord.
Wait patiently for the Lord to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
Stop being angry.
Turn from your rage.
Do not lose your temper.
It seems these 11 items might be narrowed down, since some look like repeat instructions.
Don’t worry.
Deal with your anger.
Trust God and wait on him.
Spend time with and enjoy God’s presence.
Whether it is a written list or a memorized verse, it seems the psalmist is telling us that if we want to mature in our relationship with God and participate more fully in his kingdom plan, then we will by necessity spend more time with God. As we experience him more fully, we should see behavioral changes, such as less worry about others (their motives, their mistakes, and their successes) and reduced anger. When we stop focusing on the things we might be missing that others have and whether they will be punished for their misdeeds, the byproduct is less anger in our life.
An approach to adopt
I imagine you have noticed as I have that the temperature of anger and rage has been very high in recent years and doesn’t seem to be letting up. Our addiction to social media and media in general tends to stoke the flames of our tempers. The remedy of the psalmist is to change our focus to God, his presence, his pleasure, his promises, and his will for both blessings and justice. Spending time with our loving Father and trusting in him for all outcomes brings peace to our minds and joy to our life.
The apostle Paul got to the same conclusion as the psalmist. His instructions tell us that we are to walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. Thankfully Paul didn’t stop there but went on to describe the indicators or characteristics of what it looks like when we act in the flesh and what we look and act like when the Holy Spirit is leading us: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh.
The more we trust in the Lord, wait on him, and delight in him, the more it will be obvious to others and to us. Walking in the Spirit of God will never lead us to bursts of rage or temper tantrums. As we focus on God and allow his life to be our way of life, the less we will focus on self and the more others will see the love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of God in us and through us.
Better than a checklist
If you need to make a list, go ahead. But our maturity in Christ won’t be accomplished by a daily checklist. It can only be achieved through our daily surrender to God.
Lord, we are grateful that you have called us your sons and daughters. We surrender ourselves completely to you and will listen and watch in amazement as your Holy Spirit produces fruit in us. We celebrate that you will never abandon or forsake us but will bring us to full maturity in Christ when he returns in glory.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 37:1-11 NLT; Galatians 5:16, 22-26 ESV
Photo by Hannah Olinger on Unsplash
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