Asaph was a choir director in the time of King David and King Solomon. He struggled deeply with the injustices and unfairness he saw in the world. He saw arrogant and wicked people prospering while he himself experienced troubles. This almost caused him to lose his faith in God.
Key Points:
- Asaph envied the wicked people who prospered despite rejecting God. He began to see their lives as perfect and trouble-free.
- Asaph observations of wicked people prospering were backed up by a scientific experiment which found that wealth can make people less empathetic.
- Asaph tried to figure God out on his own but realized it was too difficult a task. God’s ways are higher than our ways.
- When Asaph went to God’s sanctuary, God revealed to him that the wicked people’s prosperity was fleeting and they faced destruction in the end.
- Asaph realized he had bitterness in his heart and had been acting like a senseless animal for focusing on the present instead of eternity.
- Even though Asaph acted foolishly, God still loved him and guided him with counsel leading to a glorious destiny.
- Remembering heaven and our glorious future destiny with God through Christ can help us live with the unfairness and pain in this world.
Setting our thoughts on the realities of heaven – our future satisfaction in God – can change our perspective and help us cope with the injustice we see today.