“Relax: don’t’ sweat the small stuff”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Thursday, October 26, 2023

Psalm 37: 1-17 (Forward, p. 89) CEV p. 576

Relax: don’t sweat the small stuff. We have probably all heard or received this advice at some point or another. And, furthermore we have probably heard an appendix to it, namely, “And, it’s all small stuff.” In a sense, when we are up tight or anxious or exasperated about something, this is just like ‘rubbing salt in a wound.’

However, as much as I hate to say it, this is exactly the kind of advice that our psalmist is giving us in today’s passage. There are a number of things, situations or people that he advises us not ‘to sweat over’:

-those who do wrong

-those who not only do sinful things but seem to get away with it:

where things seem to go well for them in spite of what they do;

-merciless people who plot against good people;

-wicked people who take the lives of the poor or the righteous;

And of these are, by God’s estimation, just ‘small stuff’. And why is that? Because God is sovereign and has another ‘game play’, another end, in mind. On one side of the equation:

-the wrong doer will soon disappear, like grass without rain;

-the wicked will lose all their power;

-the Lord will hold them accountable for their deeds: indeed, their

day is coming when God will hold them in judgment;

And, on the other side of the equation:

-the land will be ours and we will live in safety;

-the Lord will give us our heart’s desire;

-the Lord will lead us and help us;

-the Lord will give us strength.

But, there is a catch to all this, namely, that we must not give in to ‘sweating the small stuff’ and instead just trust the Lord:

-don’t be annoyed or bothered by these people or what they are ‘up

to’ or their seeming success or impunity;

-don’t become angry or furious over these things;

-do what the Lord wants and live aright;

-let the Lord guide and help you;

-but above all, to be patient and trust Him no matter what.

All of this is certainly easier said than done, but then there is the matter of prayer. Paul in Philippians advises us to ‘not to worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let our requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6) and Peter says, “Cast all your anxieties, cares, upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). So, when we are feeling frustrated and exasperated by all these things, to simply go to Him and hand them over. They may well seem to be big things for us—and indeed they ‘may’ be—but for Him they’re ‘small stuff’, not worth sweating over. And besides, why not let Him sweat over them? Why not leave it all in His hands: it’s no use both of us worrying about it!

Forward notes: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes” (verse 7).

“In this verse, the psalmist asks the hearers to do two things that are very difficult: be still and wait patiently.

“When I taught kindergarten, I frequently had to remind my students to do these two things. To recentre or refocus the class, I would say to them ‘eyes watching, ears listening, voices quiet, bodies still.’ Or, during a group activity, the frequent reminder to the students was to ‘wait your turn.’

“The frequent refrain of this psalm is ‘do not fret’, which is often easier said than done. When my students became frustrated that a peer was grasping a concept faster than they were, I encouraged them not to worry about what others were doing. Everyone would understand it at their own speed.

“Whether this verse is heard by first- or twenty-first century Christians of any age, the message is the same. Sometimes, God’s voice comes through most clearly in the still, small moments of life. But we also might have to wait our turn to hear from God. Be still. Be patient.”

Moving Forward: “Is it more difficult for you to be still or to be patient? Practice both disciples with intention this week.”