(Psalm 73:28)
Who among us hasn't wondered about the seeming ease and prosperity with which the ungodly live? And the apparent difficulties of those who belong to God? "How can a God of love permit this?" many frequently ask. "I just can't see it!" the bewildered moan before scenes which often perplex even the most stalwart.
Remember that the truth is not always as it appears. Realize that you cannot always believe your eyes.
In case you are being laid low by the paralysis of heartbreak or fear because of what you see around you, please realize that you are not alone in your questioning. It has happened before. Great men of faith have been stunned into silence, grief, and doubt by circumstances unfolding before their very eyes. Psalm 73 is a case study of the struggles of one trying to trust that God, indeed, knew what he was doing.
Notice his conclusion first. Despite what we see around us, God will help us to finally see it this way:
"But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD..." (Psalm 73:28)
This declaration of faith, however, was not the product of musings from a comfortable easy chair. Rather, it was forged in the fiery anvil of discouragement and affliction.
Despite the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's goodness (verse 1), he was distressed by the trials of the saints and the visible comfort and successes of those who refused to serve God (verses 2-12), to the point where he wondered if it had been worth it serving his God (verses 13-14). This is always the natural outcome of viewing our world through the senses only.
Child of God, it is here you must learn to "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). You must cling to the presupposition that "truly God is good" (Psalm 73:1).
What is it that he discovered? What helped him look beyond his eyesight and trust what his heart was telling him? He realized that he was only viewing the present moment, just a tiny spot on the larger canvas of the whole picture. He was enabled to step back and take in the entire landscape.
And what a picture it is that he ultimately began to see, when he entered the presence of God and God's people (verses 16-17). He came to realize that the wicked are only short-term, enjoying all that they will ever get in this world, and soon to enter eternal judgment (verses 18-20). Suffering saints, on the other hand, may experience adversity here, but it causes them to love their God more and draw nearer to him, in anticipation of the glory of eternity in heaven (verses 21-28).
That is the background and the development of the faith of the wondering and weeping pilgrim. The psalmist was permitted by God to see the bigger picture, larger than lifetime, with vision which reaches into eternity, in order to better understand the present. He came to understand that God, who had graciously called him to himself, would always be his God [1] and never forsake him. [2]
May we use the afflictions sent our way to help us refocus on real truths, not just what we see with our eyes. May the thorns along our way help us look forward to the Paradise for which we are bound. And may our doubts melt in the warmth of trust in God's providence.
When, in sorrow or terror, you can't believe what you see with your eyes, then don't. Look to the one who is good to his people, the God of the covenant of grace. And, when stumbling in the darkness of the shadows cast along the pathway of trust, cry out to your loving Master with what little faith you believe you do possess:
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)
References:
[1] Jeremiah 31:33
[2] Deuteronomy 31:8
Copyright 1996, 2004 by Roger D. Adams.
[Return to Home Page.]