Psalm 73

Let me preface this by saying this: work has been getting me down lately. I had an atrocious day yesterday in regards to customers being mean and me not being able to show up on time (an absolute rarity for me not to show up ten minutes early; as a matter of fact so rare my coworkers were wondering if i had gotten into an accident or something). Also, I have been called in a lot of mornings, so I haven't had the chance to get into the Bible before work, like ever. Not to sound like I'm complaining, I was getting pretty grumpy and short-fused. My normally positive attitude was quickly turning negative.

Fortunately, this morning, my shift was actually scheduled. This enabled me to plan some time to get into the Bible. I've been going through Psalms and I was on Psalm 73.

I was really touched by this Psalm today. In it the believer is envious of those who seemingly have everything in spite of being antagonistic towards God. Meanwhile the believer has very little worldy claim. This lack made the psalmist very jealous and envious. In the same way, I was becoming jealous. I was discontented, wanting more and more. I was becoming jealous of those who don't have to work in retail. In the same way I was decrying my (relative first world pains) sufferings.

But as I was becoming foolishly jealous of those my age who don't need to work, I was touched by the psalmist's turn around verse 25 of the psalm when he says "Whom do I have in heaven but You? And besides You there is nothing I desire on earth." This made me realize I was focusing on the wrong things. I was getting stressed out over my law school decision. I was getting stressed out over my car payments, insurance payments, being able to afford law school itself. I was focusing on the wrong things. While those things are practical, I need to focus on one thing: God himself.

I remember a message (sermon) I had heard at my first joint college meeting discussing how the earthly things will pass. My car will pass and I will get a new car. My law school and career will pass. Everything will pass. As a matter of fact, Christ himself spoke "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall by no means pass away." The words, God Himself, shall never pass even though everything else will.

Reading this word really revitalized me. Honestly, I feel physically better and much less cranky carrying this word with me. It's so funny. God knows exactly how to revive a believer.