When I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task. – Psalm 73:16
In the first half of Psalm 73 (verses 1-14), Asaph was completely absorbed with himself. “Why are things going wrong in my life? Why is God blessing other people more than me? What’s the point in pursuing a godly life?”
Asaph was convinced that his problem was with God. He thought his biggest problem was the unhappiness he was experiencing. But when he came into the presence of God, Asaph saw that the real problem was himself: “My heart was grieved. My spirit bitter. I was brutish and ignorant. I was a beast before you” (73:21-22).
Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “Self is… our most constant enemy. It is the most prolific cause of all our unhappiness.” What’s the biggest cause of your unhappiness right now? Lloyd-Jones continues: “As a result of the fall of Adam we are self-centered. We are sensitive about ourselves. We are always selfish, always protecting ourselves, always ready to imagine offences, always ready to say we have been wronged and dealt with unfairly.”
Lloyd-Jones says, “I am speaking from experience. May God have mercy on us. It is the truth about us all.” If self is the problem, how can we be delivered from ourselves? The answer is that God can deliver us from self. Asaph came to realize that, and we must do the same.
Do you think your primary problem today is with God? If so, why?
