Psalm 37 was written for competitive people. It will help any athlete stay focused on the big picture and release them to perform better. There is a fine line between being worried and prepared; but to “fret” will only weaken us. Fretting is a warning that we want our own way more than God’s. It has been a custom around the world for years to rattle off the Lord’s Prayer before competition. Do the athletes really mean, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” or “my kingdom come, my will be done”?

Psalm 37:3 states, “Trust in the Lord and do what is good.” We need to stay under His command and focus on our task in the power of His love. Fretting leads to paralysis. In light of God’s unfailing love, we can compete to the best of our abilities. To avoid fretting, we need to pray and read God’s Word, surround ourselves with like-minded friends, exercise regularly, and sleep and eat well. Think clearly—sometimes writing down goals, pros, and cons helps. If we remember that we only have a finite amount of time, we’ll say no to the good to make time for the best.

If we desire His will, then there is no safer place to be. We may not know where the Father will take us, but we can be sure He will use our gifts and abilities to further His kingdom.