December 28: I Almost Slipped
Scripture
Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? 14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. 15 If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. 18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. 19 In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. 21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant—I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
-Psalm 73:1-5, 13-26 (A Psalm of Asaph)
One of the gifts of the Psalms is how unfiltered they are. They remind us that faith does not mean we must always act like everything is always ok. God invites honesty, not a show. Psalm 73 is one of those places where we are given permission to say out loud what we sometimes only whisper in our hearts. Asaph looks around and admits that what he sees doesn’t make sense to him. Wicked, arrogant people seem to be thriving, while those who love God struggle. He knows God is good, but he is honest enough to admit that his faith is wavering under the weight of what he observes.
We’ve all seen it. People who are kind, faithful, God-fearing, and generous who carry heavy burdens, loss, or financial strain. And at the same time, others who appear indifferent toward God seem carefree, successful, and untouched by trouble. Asaph names what many of us are afraid to admit, envy. He confesses that his feet had almost slipped, that he nearly lost his footing. This was not a casual doubt. It was a moment where the solid ground of faith felt unstable.
What keeps Asaph from spiraling is not a quick answer, but a shift in perspective. He says he didn’t understand any of this until he entered the sanctuary of God. In other words, until he came into God’s presence. Worship reoriented him. Being with God pulled him out of a narrow, earthly viewpoint and gave him an eternal one. He began to see that what looks like success in the moment is not the same thing as lasting hope. What feels unfair now is not the final word.
By the end of the psalm, Asaph’s heart is softer and steadier. He realizes that even in his bitterness, God never let go of him. “You hold me by my right hand.” God was faithful even when Asaph was confused. His circumstances hadn’t immediately changed, but his understanding had. Earthly prosperity lost its shine, and God Himself became the prize. “Whom have I in heaven but you?”
Asaph reminds us that closeness to God is not a consolation prize. It is the greatest good. And sometimes clarity doesn’t come from answers, but from presence.
Reflection
1. Where have you found yourself comparing your life to others and feeling unsettled, discouraged, or envious?
2. What difference does it make when you step into God’s presence, through worship, Scripture, or stillness, and allow Him to reshape how you see your circumstances?
3. How might your heart shift if you measured blessing less by what you can see now and more by the nearness of God and the hope of eternity?
Prayer
Come to God with honesty, naming any frustration, envy, or confusion you have been carrying. Ask Him to lift your eyes from a purely earthly perspective and to anchor your heart in what is eternal. Pray for a deeper awareness of His presence.