“And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary”  Galatians 6:9

As sanctified children of the Most High, we are set apart from this world, therefore we are called to do good.  There is so much corruption in the world today that a Believer could be drawn in, but we are not to lose heart!
We are to stand firm and not grow weary.  

In Psalm 73 we see the Psalmist’s struggle with the prosperity of the wicked and all his possessions until the Psalmist turned to God; as we see in the following verses.  I believe it is a picture of today and if the Believer takes his/her eyes off Christ they too could easily be seduced.
(Read the whole Psalm.)

“But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling;
My steps had almost slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant (boasters),
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”  Vs. 2-3
(This should be a caution!  Envy leads to bitterness and disaster.)

Describing the wicked:
“For there are no pains in their death;
And their body is fat.
They are not in trouble as other men;
Nor are they plagued like mankind.”  Vs. 4-5
(Verses 6-12 go on to give a vivid picture of the wicked.)

Now the Psalmist is seeing his own bitterness and self pity:
“Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure,
And washed my hands in innocence;
For I have been stricken all day long,
And chastened every morning.”
(His heart is exposed and in God’s loving kindness he was chastened!
In God’s love we, too, are disciplined (child trained).  I know that we are all familiar with Hebrews 12:4-14; read it again.)

Fortunately the Psalmist did not speak his bitter thoughts out loud, but he turned to God as he tells us:
“If I had said, ‘I will speak thus,’
Behold I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children.
When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
Until I came to the sanctuary of God:
Then I perceived their end.”  Vs. 15-17
(The wicked are destroyed in a moment and utterly swept away.”)

It was when the Psalmist sought God that he saw the demise of the wicked, he saw his own heart, and he saw the graciousness of God.
“When my heart was embittered,
And I was pierced from within
Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before Thee.
Nevertheless I am continually with Thee
Thou hast taken hold of my right hand.”  Vs. 21-23

The Psalmist has turned his eyes and heart away from the glitter of the world to the true treasure and he can say;
“Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Vs. 25-26

Where are our eyes?  Are they on the things of the world or do we have that single eye on our Lord Jesus Christ who is our all in all?  The clearer our eye with its focus on Christ, the less we are attracted or distracted by the things of the earth.  It is with humble hearts that we gratefully thank our Heavenly Father for His indwelling Holy Spirit who leads and guides in the path of righteousness.

Therefore, we can say with the Psalmist:
“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the LORD God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Thy works.”  Vs. 28
Amen