He Frustrates the Ways of the Wicked

What on Earth is God Doing?

By William M. Self, Sr.

“He frustrates the ways of the wicked”

Sometimes your frustration

Is God trying to fine tune your life

 

He Frustrates the Ways of the Wicked

Wicked…To be morally wrong or an actively bad person.

We think of a wicked person as someone who acts

 in a way that hurts others and hurts themselves.

A conscience act to hurt someone…

 We call these sins of commission.

Sins of commission are not the only way of wickedness.

Paul confessed he had a problem with sins of omission…

“I realize that I don't have what it takes.

I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good,

 but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad,

 but then I do it anyway. My decisions,

 such as they are, don't result in actions.

 Something has gone wrong deep within me and

gets the better of me every time.” Romans 7:18-20 MSG

Sins of omission…Not acting when we should.

James says it this way…

 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought

 to do and doesn't do it, sins.” James 4:17  NIV

When we sin by commission or omission

something get forcibly pulled away from us.

 God says He “frustrates” the ways of the wicked… 

The word frustrates means to forcibly pull

 (something) from a person’s grip.

Wickedness… The sins of commission and

omission gets measured in our minds.

 We see some worse than others, the impact

does have differing degrees of impact.

  

But each time something is pulled away from us…

 The New International Version of the Bible calls it frustration.

Many times in our lives the frustration we feel is a result

of doing the wrong thing or not doing the right thing.

If you feel like something ought to be

yours and it seems just out of reach.

Or, you feel frustrated because things

that should work out don’t.

Maybe God is trying to get your attention.

Don’t just look at what you are doing, but what you are not doing.

Take David’s approach…

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and

 lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

The word frustration is the word,  “Wrest”; the noun form

gives the idea of “A key for tuning a harp or piano”.

Your “frustration” may be God’s tuning

in your life so you will sound better.

“He frustrates (Wrest: verb - forcibly pulls from

someone’s grasp, noun – a key for tuning a harp or piano)

the ways of the wicked” Psalm 146:9

Scripture Reading 

Psalm 146:5-9 NIV

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

6 the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them —

the Lord, who remains faithful forever.

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed

and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free,

8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,

the Lord loves the righteous.

9 The Lord watches over the alien

and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.