When the Prosperity of the Wicked Seems to Shine Brighter: Finding Our Anchor in the Spirit

Brothers and sisters, have you ever found yourself standing at a crossroads—a point in your life where everything you thought you knew about divine fairness seems to wobble? You’re doing the right things. You’re keeping your covenants. You’re trying to walk the path of discipleship, doing your best to be Christlike, and then... something trips you up.

It’s a feeling I know all too well. It’s the spiritual equivalent of stumbling on the sidewalk when you were just trying to walk with the Lord. We read the scriptures, we study, we try to keep the commandments, and yet, the evidence around us—the sheer, undeniable prosperity of those who seem to have skipped the whole process—can make us pause. It can make us wonder, "What good is it to honor the Lord if it seems like the world can have it all anyway?"

This is the deep, honest struggle that Asaph tackles in Psalm 73. It’s not a psalm of perfect confidence; it’s a psalm of wrestling. It’s a powerful reminder that even the most devoted disciple can feel envious of the arrogant when they see the worldly success of the wicked.

The Danger of the Stumble

Asaph starts by declaring, "Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart." That’s the bedrock truth we know, right? But then comes the pivot: "But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped."

This is where we, as rogue disciples, need to pay attention. We can’t let our spiritual journey be defined by the *perfect* walk. Sometimes, the Spirit whispers doubts, and sometimes the world shouts them at us. We have to be honest with the Spirit, just like Asaph was with the Psalmist.

We need to remember that the purpose of these moments of doubt isn't to break us; it's to teach us where our true anchor lies. It forces us to dig deeper than surface-level observance.

Reclaiming the Perspective: Looking Beyond the Visible

The sermon material we reviewed today really hit on this: the temptation to measure spiritual worth by worldly outcomes. But the lesson, as always, is that the Lord’s economy is not the world’s economy. The covenants we make, the commitment to the work, the daily effort to be better—that has an eternal return that the temporary glitter of the world cannot match.

When you feel that slip coming—when you look at the "success" of those who haven't followed the path—don't let it derail you. Instead, use that feeling as a prompt to study. Go back to the source. Dive into the scriptures. Use those tools we have available.

This is precisely why I always encourage using resources like LivingBook. If you're struggling with a concept like divine justice, don't just read one passage. Use the Social Scripture Study layer, check out a relevant Book Club discussion, or even bring it to Davee.

If you're feeling the weight of these big, theological questions, remember that the best place to wrestle them through is with the brethren. If you're prepping for missions, this is *missionary preparation* in action. If you're already out there, this is *being an internet missionary* in action. Every single place is a field.

As we continue to build up our testimonies and strengthen our understanding of the Plan of Salvation, let's keep these moments of doubt as opportunities, not roadblocks. They are the very things that refine us into disciples who can truly teach others.

If this discussion resonated with you, I invite you to join us for our weekly Disciple Challenge this week! It’s a chance to apply these principles in a low-stakes, supportive setting. Details are in the comments below, but I’ll link up the sign-up info in the next post. And for those who love deep dives, I highly recommend picking up any Iron Rod book on the nature of covenants—it speaks directly to this!