Devotional: It's a Matter of Perspective

How often do I look at the wicked who are in power or are rich and have everything money could buy them and wonder, "Why can't I be as successful as they are? Why can't I have what they have?"  Do you find yourself in this picture from time to time?  I do.

We are not alone.  This is not a new problem.  Asaph , King David's director of music wrote a few Psalms.  In Psalm 73, he admits to having these same feelings I described above.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (Psalm 73:2, 3 ESV)

Asaph resolved his problem by going into the sanctuary of God.  He got alone with God and learned from Him what the end of these people would be.   We need to do the same.

But when I thought how to understand this,

it seemed to me a wearisome task,

until I went into the sanctuary of God;

then I discerned their end. (Psalm 73:16, 17 ESV)

Asaph learned that their end is not a pretty picture.  Here is what he learned.

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. (Psalm 73:27 ESV)

So what is the cure to being envious of the wicked?  Again, Asaph found the answer in God.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25, 26 ESV)

When we boil it all down, what Asaph is telling us is that he found contentment in God is the cure for being envious of the wicked and their "prosperity".  When we look around at what they have, compared to what we don't have (materially) we begin to get discouraged and we envy them.  But when we find our contentment in God, we find that He is all we really need.  It's a matter of perspective.