You Control Your Actions: Do Good

Controlling what You Can
in this Uncontrollable World
Part 3

You Control Your Actions: Do Good

The world around you may be out of control—more specifically, out of your control, but you can still thrive when you choose to control what you can. You, and you alone, control yourself. 

Only you can control:
Your Foundation: the LORD is in Control
Your Focus: Fret not. Trust in the LORD

You also control your actions. Our natural instinct leans towards evil. It’s our first impulse when we’ve been wronged or just wake up cranky. It can feel almost out of our control, and we find it easy to lay the fault of our own actions at the feet of the antagonist. David could have easily followed the human instinct to give back evil for evil. It wasn’t fair that he was exiled from his home and family for no good reason. But he chose to control his actions. He chose to do good. He implores you to do the same if you want to thrive in an uncontrollable world.

Psalm 37:3a “Trust in the LORD, and do good.”

We see the commitment to do good in David’s life as he comes across Saul and his men while they slept. In fact, the Bible indicates that the LORD had put David’s enemy in a deep sleep (1 Sam. 26:12). What an opportunity!! David’s main man is giddy as he realizes David’s enemy could be subdued right there, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear…” David’s answer resonates with a willful choice to #1 Trust the Lord, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.” Because David was dealing with the King that the LORD had anointed, he left the destruction of his enemy in the capable hand of the LORD. The LORD would take care of Saul when it was time. David also willfully chose to do good, “The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’S anointed.” 

It’s completely natural for us to respond towards our foes like David’s buddy did, “Aha! The LORD has given me an opportunity to show this person a thing or two! Evil right back at ya!” We might secretly relish this opportunity of revenge. But, where David’s buddy saw an opportunity to get revenge and stop the madness; David saw an opportunity to show mercy and continue to trust the LORD through it all. If you think that the LORD has set up the perfect opportunity for you to pummel your foe, think again. The LORD has called you to something greater than revenge. The LORD has given you the opportunity to show mercy; to show His kind of love in the face of evil.

David did make use of the opportunity to show Saul that he had no evil intent towards him. His actions aligned with the person David wanted to be—merciful and kind; trusting the LORD and doing good. David did use the situation, and he did protect himself, but he didn’t cross the line into the evils of revenge.

Later in Psalm 37:27a, David reiterates this lesson, “Turn away from evil and do good.” You have to make a choice. Will you go with the natural impulse towards evil, or will you turn from it and do good? I’m not saying it’s easy, and none of us will ever be perfect at it. But today, only you can choose to do good. No one else can choose your actions for you. You choose.

This week, pay close attention to your actions:
In each situation, make the purposeful choice to turn from evil and DO GOOD

You can thrive in this crazy life when you control your actions and do good!