“Surely, God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant – when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Psalms 73: 1-3

Life can be a challenge. There’s no surprise that we’re going to get poked and pulled in all different directions, and seemingly, all at the same time. When there’s a sense that life is unjust and unfair and it’s just too much, what do you do? Give in and give up? We look around and see the wicked ones of the world never in need, never in danger, wealth and getting ahead come easy to them. Whether through wrongful gain or fate, they describe how they came to their rightful prosperity. This is what I want to briefly examine. The entire chapter of Psalm 73 is written by Asaph, who describes the “wicked person” as having it all: a grand life, good health, no struggles, no worries, no illnesses, pride of life is in self, callous hearts and evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They question what good you can get out of knowing God. What does God know! The psalmist is faced with his own self pity and turmoil. He never questions God, yet his emotions express self-doubt and envy as he considers the ways of the world versus the worth of living life for God on this earth.

My friends, yes, this world can be numbing and bring to us a deep sense of injustice that at times can shake our soul. We pray we could be free from such destructive forces that play havoc upon our minds—to never experience the loss of loved ones, or the pangs of illness, or to never be faced with troubles or difficulties. What about the philosophies of the world that vie for our hearts and minds? They can be so enticing in their attempt to lure us away from God’s truth. Is this our reality? Is this just the way life is and we’re supposed to bite our lip, pick up our chin, and trudge onward? If there is nothing greater than what we ourselves can amass here on earth, we might as well give in to the ways of sin and join the crowd of ambiguity, or the passive ones who chose to not be liable for any rightful decision they make as they journey through life. The fact of the matter is, life does demand a verdict, and yes, there is so much more to life when we come to know the living God!

So let’s rethink our premise on life. What can we learn from God’s Word? The first sixteen verses of Psalm 73 are all about choices. The psalmist writes that even he is confused when he sees the ungodly who seem to always prosper. It seems like they’re having all the fun, to the point that he almost gives in to evil so he can be like them and have all they boast about. The psalmist says, “My feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…”. It’s at this point that the psalmist is beginning to question his serving the Lord until he suddenly realizes that not only is this kind of thinking oppressive to him, but that if he gives in to this kind of thinking he will actually betray God’s people and will abandon those he loves (verse 15-16). Never forget how powerful your testimony is to those around you. Your family, children, grandchildren, friends, coworkers, and even those who watch you from a distance, they’re watching to see if the God you serve is true and faithful? In the same breath, they are watching to see if you are faithful to Him! The psalmist makes his point by saying that had he fallen into the ways of the wicked, lots of God’s people would have been injured spiritually. Have you ever had someone say to you that if it wasn’t for you they wouldn’t have come to the Lord, or they wouldn’t have wanted to hang on to life, or that you have been the most influential person in their life and for this they are so grateful? Moses speaks of his own personal choices as he, too, had to choose between living as royalty as the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter, or choosing God. His choice was to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. How could Moses make such a choice? Because, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11: 25, 26).

Living for Christ does not remove us from the physical and emotional experiences we find in this world, but the Word of God gives you and me, as believers, a deeper insight and a stronger living hope that casts out fear. When danger seeps in to attempt to soften our minds it only causes you and me to rise up and see life’s challenges as the bridge to exercise our faith and our trust in Jesus Christ. After the psalmist entered the sanctuary of the Lord and he was given insight and wisdom, he then speaks powerful words as his envy turns to a living hope. He is now able to conclude with confidence as he says, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory…but as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalm 73:24,28). The psalmist’s simple but powerful lesson to us all is this: trust God in all things. We cannot deny the very truth that has set us free (John 8:32) and that truth comes from being planted in the Word of God.

I want to be near to God. I want to tell others about His marvelous deeds He has done for me. When I was younger, I experienced what it was like for God to remove Himself from me because of my continued sin. It was a fearful experience that caused me to ask God to forgive me and, like David’s plea, Lord, “…do not cast me from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:11-12).

Let your testimony of the power of the living God that works within you through His Holy Spirit sound out loud and clear among God’s people so that those who have not heard may choose to serve and choose to know your God because of your testimony. Be bold, don’t fear. The unseen spiritual rewards now and for the future are eternal. The joy of it all is that the Lord Himself will meet you right where you’re at in life for you are never alone. Let your heart echo these words, “But as for me, it is good to be near God.” Don’t give in and don’t give up. Renew your commitment and start living the abundant life (John 10:10) Jesus promises!