Have you ever wondered why unbelievers, the wicked, the unrighteous seem to prosper and those who name the name of Jesus as their Savior seem to struggle?
Be honest. You are not alone. It is a question as old as mankind.
Job, who suffered the loss of everything in his life, asked “Why do the wicked grow old and increase in power?”
Jeremiah, the suffering servant, asked “Why does the way of the wicked prosper and why do all the faithless live at ease?”
This is something we can all relate to especially in the midst of physical affliction or financial problems. Believers often feel cheated and begin to question and doubt God’s goodness.
Psalm 73 is a wonderful passage to encourage us not only to be honest with God when we feel this way but also help us transition from doubt to a reaffirmation of our faith. Here’s a few thoughts to guide your own reflection.
In verses 1-3
- We see the psalmist acknowledging God’s goodness “but” the goodness was not trickling down to him
In verses 4-12
- Here he is looking around at the apparent injustice of God in allowing the wicked to prosper. Nothing ever happens to them and they even mock God. Verse 12 – this is what the wicked are like, always carefree, and they increase in wealth.
In verses 13-16
- You can really get the feeling the psalmist is in a real spiritual depression here. He thinkgs, “I have played by the rules and all I get is punished. I can’t understand it and it is really getting to me.” We’ve all been there right?
Verse 17
- When the psalmist got done complaining, feeling sorry for himself, and being envious of those he saw around him, he entered the sanctuary of God. This is the key to any question, doubt, problem, or concern we have with God and that is to go to Him – to enter into His It is here where, like the psalmist, our attitude is changed and we get a new perspective.
In verses 18-28
- The world measures prosperity and wealth by external things. But in the sanctuary of God we are renewed and realize again what true prosperity is. The psalmist remembers God’s presence, His protection, His provision, and His promise of eternal life. And he is encouraged that God will punish and take care of the wicked in His time and in His way.
Doubts and questioning are part of the human experience especially during painful and troubling times. Our human minds and rationality cannot explain why bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. It is only in the sanctuary of God that we can appreciate His goodness, grace, mercy and find contentment.
