Five steps to curing spiritual myopia

Myopia is a visual problem that keeps people from seeing objects at a distance. They can only see what is immediately before them. Without the aid of glasses or contacts, they cannot see what is far away from them. What is even worse is spiritual myopia. The person with this problem can only see what is immediately in front of him — under his “spiritual nose.” This person can only see what is earthly, temporal and physical. He can only focus upon the here and now.

Psalm 73 addresses one of life’s most difficult problems: how is it that the wicked so often prosper while the godly suffer? Asaph, the author of this psalm, suffered a severe bout of myopic faith. He was an outstanding musician in the time of David (Ezra 2:41). He wrote this psalm during a time when he took his eyes off the Lord and focused on the prosperity of the wicked around him. This caused him to struggle. He lost sight of the eternal because he was giving his full attention to the temporal. Asaph came to understand that he could not see and trust in the eternal while his focus was on the temporal. Asaph’s understanding in Psalm 73 unfolded in five main steps.

The first step was a disturbing problem in verses 1-3. Asaph began to envy the prosperity of the wicked. He almost fell into doubting the goodness of God toward the righteous. The psalm begins with a bottom line conclusion: “Surely God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart” (verse 1).

God is very good to those who put their trust in him. Asaph confessed that he came close to abandoning his confidence in God’s goodness. The phrase “… but as for me …” occurs four times in this psalm. He said, “… my feet had almost slipped …” (verse 2). He almost turned from the right path. “… he had nearly lost his foothold …” (verse 2). He almost suffered a monumental fall in his spiritual life. What caused it? “When I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (verse 3). His focus shifted from the goodness of God to the prosperity of the wicked.

It is easy to focus upon the prosperity of the wicked. The old saying tells that “truth forever upon the scaffold, evil forever upon the throne.” Charles H. Spurgeon said, “Sinners are not, as a general rule, punished here. Their sentence is reserved until the day of judgment. … This is not the time of judgment. Judgment is yet to come.”

The second step was the distorted perspective in verses 4-12. Asaph described the troubling contradiction all around him — the prosperity of the wicked who seemed to have no struggles. Of course, they did have problems, but they were hidden from Asaph’s eyes. In his eyes, they were “healthy and strong” and were “free from the burdens common to man” (verses 4-5). The speech of the wicked was corrupt and this added to Asaph’s bewilderment. They scoffed at what was good with “malice” toward God and his kingdom (verse 6). Full of “arrogance,” they acted as if they controlled heaven and the earth (verses 8-9).

In verse 10, people were turning to the wicked and drinking up the waters that spewed from their mouths. They were drinking up what they said as if they were wise. The wicked were saying, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?” (verse 11). They assumed that God did not see their sin because it went unpunished.

The third step in Asaph’s understanding was debilitating pain (verses 13-16). Asaph’s wrong perspective led him to question his pursuit of righteousness. He spiraled downward into self-pity. He said, “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure” (verse 13). In verse 14, all day long he felt plagued and punished for doing right. Why remain loyal to God if this was his reward?

The fourth step was his dawning perception in verses 17-20. In the midst of his spiritual crash, something changed his outlook on life. Negative thinking engulfed him. However, he came to a turning point when he “… entered the sanctuary of God” (verse 17). He suddenly had an eternal perspective. The Word of God was brought to bear upon his life. Through the prism of divine truth, he saw the “final destiny” of the wicked (verse 17).

Gripped by God’s perspective, Asaph said, “Surely you set them in slippery places; you cast them down to ruin” (verse 18). The final destruction of the wicked is sure. When they least expect it, they will be destroyed (verse 19). They will be “swept away with terrors” (verse 19).

Finally, the fifth step was his dynamic praise in verses 21-28. Asaph regretted his marred perspective and reaffirmed his faith in God. His inner pain was caused by envy and bitterness. He was “senseless and ignorant” (verse 22). He confessed to God, “I was like a brute beast before you” (verse 22). He admitted he wasn’t thinking clearly. He realized that God was always with him. God held him by his right hand (verses 23-24). Asaph concluded, “For indeed, those who are far from you shall perish” (verse 27). A person cannot see and trust in the eternal while his focus is on the temporal.

How can you overcome myopic faith? Look away from the charms of this world and focus on the glory of Jesus. Consider the beauty of God’s holiness. He sent his son Jesus to live a perfect life. Jesus offered an infinite sacrifice on the cross. He paid for your sins. He died a substitutionary death. You must look long into eternity and consider the end of the ungodly. Turn to Jesus with repentance and faith today.

Ethan Hansen is pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship of Big Lake. He can be contacted at ethanchansen@gci.net.