Have you ever questioned something like what the title of this post suggests? I have. My guess is that you have too. What do we do when God doesn’t seem to be enough for us? What do we do when we struggle with envy and jealously, especially of the arrogant and mean people who seem to be carefree and prosperous while we are trying to live God’s way, and yet are struggling.
As Asaph guides us in Psalm 73 through his struggle with envy, though he has taken us to the precipice of losing his faith, in verses 23-24 he remembers the truth that, though he was a mess and the world around him was a mess, God was actually there. God was always there, holding his hand, guiding him. That is striking to me because there are plenty of times, when it seems like God is not there. We don’t always see him or feel him. We can cry out to him, and he doesn’t answer. But the truth is that he is still there. He might be silent, but he is there.
That truth changes the game. Asaph declares in verses 25-26 that God and God alone fulfills his longings. The earth puts forth its attempts to fulfill our longings. But it has nothing compared to God.
When our flesh and heart fail, and they most certainly will, God is our strength and portion, Asaph says. That’s an astounding truth. A truth that, quite frankly, might sound hard to believe. God is better than what the world has to offer? Intellectually or theologically, I think many of us would say, “Yes, of course God is better.” But in our real lives, we so often might think or act differently from that belief.
When I am sick, I don’t say, “God, you are enough.” I say, “God, I want to be healed. How are you letting that jerk at the office be so healthy, and not me?”
When I am facing payment of taxes, I don’t say, “God, you are enough.” I say, “God, I want money. How are you letting the wicked person have wealth and not me?”
When I am facing a broken relationship, I don’t say, “God, you are enough.” I say, “God, why are you letting that idiot be so mean to me?”
If we examine our longings, so often God is not enough. If we examine our longings, we want health and wholeness the way we want them, which is usually immediately and completely.
God says to us, I am enough. Asaph is right, he gets to the proper conclusion. God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever. God is enough to satisfy all our longings. And only God is enough.
Asaph concludes in verses 27 and 28 with a reminder that the wicked will perish, but for him, it is good to be near to God. Thus he has made God his refuge, and get this, now he will tell of all God’s deeds. Before, in verse 15, he was right to be concerned that he started talking, in the previous state of mind he was in, that he could do damage to God’s children. That’s because he was living out the false story. Now though, his thinking, his heart is in a whole different place, the true story, and he is absolutely going to tell the deeds of God.
Let God change your mind. It starts with worship. Worship music is so helpful in that regard. As I’ve said before, my song of this year has been No Longer Slaves. It has redirected me to the truth that as a child of God we are not slaves to fear. Maybe you have experienced the powerful transformation that can happen in worship. So what should we do? Check back tomorrow as we conclude our study through Psalm 73 about dark longing.
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