Don't Worry What Others Have-Know Who You Have!

READ PSALM 73

Psalm 73:23-26(ESV)

²³ Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. ²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Twenty years ago I made my first trip to Nashville, TN. I had driven through the city before before and had dinner on a few occassions, but this was the first time I was spending a few days in the community. I was interviewing for a youth pastor position in Brentwood, TN, a town located about 15 minutes south of Nashville. (Spoiler Alert: I received the position and I am the senior pastor of Crosswalk Church in Brentwood today!)

The first time I was taken on a tour of Brentwood and other areas in Williamson County I couldn't believe my eyes. I had never seen homes so big, and there were so many. Driving through some of the neighborhoods was jarring. I grew up on the south side of Chicago in a little suburb called Thornton. Our claim to fame was a giant limestone quarry. We were literally known for old run down homes and a giant hole in the ground. Now here I was seeing the material beauty of wealth on full display.

I was blown away...and a little envious. I wondered if my youth pastor salary would be enough to purchase one of the homes...it wasn't!

I started to wonder if there were "good" people living in those homes. I wondered if the money acquired to buy those homes was done legally. I even started to think that it wasn't fair that some were able to live so extravagently while others were living in poverty...believe me, I had "fleshly" thoughts swirling in my head. I was coming from being a youth pastor near Harvey, IL, a place where poverty is pretty common.

But you know what, I realized that I was being sinful. I was focusing on other people (who I didn't even know) and what they had and not focusing on Jesus, and how He is mine and I am His! In Psalm 73 there is a conflict of the flesh taking place that deals with this same issue. In fact, in verse 2 the Psalmist says that "my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." For nearly 15 verses the Psalmist struggles with these thoughts, and it's not until he makes a trip into the sanctuary of God (verses 16+17) that he is reminded that the only thing that matters in this world is a close relationship with the Lord!

That's it. Period. End of story. As Fernando Ortega beautifully sings, "You can have all this world, but Give Me Jesus."

It is in the sanctuary that our Psalmist understands, the Lord is continually with him and is holding his right hand. The Lord guides him with counsel, and the day will come when the Lord will receive the Psalmist in glory with a holy hug.

"Whom have I in heaven, but you? There is nothing on earth I desire besides you. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

When I think back to twenty years ago I want to tell young Josh as he's looking at the splendor of the world, "None of that matters. Don't worry about what others have - Know who you have." And there is nothing on this earth that you should desire or look at more than Him.

And that brings us to the conclusion shared in verse 28.

Psalm 73:28(ESV)

28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

If you ever find yourself in a place of comparing yourself to others and wondering why they have so much, and you're in a season that feels like you have so little...Read Psalm 73. You need to be reminded of Who You Have. His name is Jesus, and HE is all that matters.

Josh Huisman is the senior pastor of Crosswalk Church in Brentwood, TN. If you would like to support this website and make it possible for this page to stay active and these devotions to reach a wider audience, CLICK HERE

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