When I was diagnosed with a chronic illness as a young mom one of my favorite verses became Psalm 73:26 because it states:  

“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”  

I love the reminder in this verse that even when my health fails, and my spirit feels weak over everything . . . God will be my strength through it all.   

He will never leave me.   

But as I studied the rest of this psalm, I began to love it even more. 

Because the big question this psalm asks is this:  

Is it worth it to walk with God?  

Which is a question I think we all struggle with sometimes.   

Is it worth it to follow God when He allows us to endure pain and suffering?  

Is it worth it to get up every Sunday morning to wrangle kids or wake up cranky teenagers so we can go to church?  

Is it worth it to stand firm on our convictions about what we watch, listen to, and the way we dress as our kids complain about how everyone else gets to do this or that?  

Is it worth it to keep following God and be that mom? When all the other moms seem to have it so much easier?  

The Interesting Background Behind Psalm 73   

Psalm 73 is thought to have been written sometime between 1000–962 BC by Asaph who was a skilled singer and musician during the time of King David and King Solomon (1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 25:6). He made music with cymbals and even prophesied with his music (1 Chronicles 25:1).  

In this Psalm, Asaph is wrestling with some envious emotions. He sees the people around him living wickedly and thriving. While he is living righteously and suffering.   

He brings his messy emotions and honest questions before God. Because fully expects God to answer him. And as Asaph enters the temple to be in the presence of the Lord . . . everything changes.  

Asaph shows us in this psalm that it’s okay to doubt God. To question Him. To bring our brutally honest thoughts before Him. (After all, He already knows them all anyway.)   

Asaph shows us it’s okay to wrestle with God.   

Wrestling involves getting very close to another person. And maybe that’s why God invites us to wrestle with Him.   

Because in the process, we draw closer to Him.   

And as we draw closer to Him, He can help us to see things a little more clearly.   

6 Eye-Opening Lessons from Psalm 73 for Moms  

There are plenty of eye-opening lessons we can glean from this heartfelt Psalm. And these lessons will be very helpful to us in life and motherhood.   

Lesson 1: Comparison leads to bitterness.   

In verses 3-4, Asaph admits to being envious of others:  

“For I envied the proud  
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.  
They seem to live such painless lives;  
their bodies are so healthy and strong.”  

Asaph felt like the evil people around him were thriving and enjoying life. While he only seemed to besuffering.   

But as he enters God’s sanctuary (verse 17), the Lord helps Asaph realize that by comparing himself to others, he is allowing envy to eat away at his heart.   

In verse 21 Asaph states:  

“Then I realized that my heart was bitter,  
and I was all torn up inside.”  

It can be so easy to fall into the comparison trap especially if we spend a lot of time on social media.   

-My house looks great. Until I see her living room makeover.   

-My family is awesome. Until I see hers looking perfectly put together.  

-My car works just fine. Until I see the pictures of her glamorous new ride.   

The more we look at the filtered, air-brushed lives of others, the more our lives suddenly don’t seem all that great. And this can cause our hearts to be filled with envy, frustration, discontentment, and bitterness over our lot in life.   

To fight the comparison trap we need to unplug from the world. And connect with God.   

“A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.”  

-Proverbs 14:30 NLT  

Lesson 2: Sitting still before the Lord changes our perspective.  

Asaph’s envious perspective immediately changed when he entered the Lord’s sanctuary.   

In verse 17 he states:  

“Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,  
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.”  

By spending time with God, Asaph was reminded of the truth. God will judge the evil people of this world eventually. In His perfect timing. (Not Asaph’s.)  

When we spend time with God, He can help us gain a greater perspective.   

-By getting us to fix our eyes on Him instead of our circumstances. (Hebrews 12:2)  

-By reminding us of the truth of who we are. Who He is. And all His precious promises to us.   

-By helping us realize that He sees everything, (Prov. 15:3) so He knows exactly what He’s doing.   

-And by reminding us that we can trust Him, no matter what happens, because He will be with us until the end. (Deut. 31:8)  

“. . . Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. . .”  

-Isaiah 30:15 NLT  

Lesson 3: Everything is not as it seems.   

In verses 4-5 Asaph states:  

“They seem to live such painless lives;  
their bodies are so healthy and strong.  
They don’t have troubles like other people;  
they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.”  

The key word here is “seem”.   

Sometimes it seems like that neighbor down the street has it all. The fancy cars. The gorgeous home. And the kids that seem to behave all the time while excelling in life.   

But we don’t see everything that’s happening.   

They may look like they have it all. But we don’t know their inner struggles.  

They still need Jesus. Just as much as we do.   

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  

-Romans 3:23 NIV  

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”  

-2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT  

Lesson 4: Our greatest struggles can be our greatest blessings.  

In verses 13-14 Asaph states:  

“Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?  
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?  
I get nothing but trouble all day long;  
every morning brings me pain.”  

-Psalm 73:13-14  

Sometimes it seems like other moms are living for this world and their kids are doing great. While we’re living for Jesus and our kids are struggling.  

But we can choose to trust God. And believe that there’s a purpose for our suffering.   

I mean think about it.   

What if God gave you that unruly, sassy teenager because He knew you wouldn’t give up on her?   

What if He gave you that strong-willed, argumentative boy because He knew it would keep you on your knees before Him? And that your prayers would make all the difference?  

What if He gave you that special needs child because He knew you would love them, fight for them, and constantly lean on His strength to help you raise them?  

What if our greatest struggles are actually God’s blessings in disguise?  

Teaching us to lean on Him. To trust Him. And to surrender our lives to Him. No matter where He leads.   

Because as hard as it can be . . . being in His will is the safest place to be.   

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  

-Romans 8:28 NLT  

Lesson 5: We can be honest with God.   

In verses 22-24 Asaph states:  

“I was so foolish and ignorant—  
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.  
Yet I still belong to you;  
you hold my right hand.  
You guide me with your counsel,  
leading me to a glorious destiny.  

-Psalm 73:22-24 NLT  

Asaph was honest with God. But then he realized he was being foolish. And yet he knew in it all God still loved him and cared for him.   

Which I think this is one of the biggest takeaways from this psalm.   

That we can be completely and totally honest with God.   

He invites us to pour out our hearts before Him. To lay it all at His feet.   

-Every doubt.   

-Every question.   

-Every emotion.   

Because He knows He can help us work through it all. And while He will correct our wayward thinking, our brutal honesty doesn’t make Him love us any less.  

While it can be frustrating sometimes to continue to be that good, Christian example to our kids. To keep fighting the good fight to raise them right. To keep disciplining, coaching, guiding, and correcting them even when we’re overwhelmed, stressed out, and tired . . . God can help us remember the bigger picture.   

Because we aren’t just raising children.   

We’re raising Kingdom warriors.   

We’re fighting spiritual battles in the heavenly realms for the souls of our children. And by living holy lives we’re establishing a legacy that will influence the lives of not only our children.   

But their children . . . and their children.   

A pebble is small. But throw it into a pond, and you’ll be amazed at the ever-expanding effect of its ripples.   

Let’s not underestimate the influence we have.   

Even if we can’t see what’s happening. The power of our prayers and the influence of our righteous lives will have a ripple effect on our families and the world around us.  

“. . . Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. . .”   

-Lamentations 2:19 NIV  

“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”  

-Psalm 62:8 NIV  

Lesson 6: If we have Jesus, we have everything we need.   

In verses 25-26, Asaph comes full circle and declares:  

“Whom have I in heaven but you?  
I desire you more than anything on earth.  
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,  
but God remains the strength of my heart;  
he is mine forever.”  

-Psalm 73:25-26 NLT  

What it all comes down to is this. Do we love God more?   

-Do we want what all the other moms have? Or do we want Jesus?   

-Do we want to be able to do all the things? Or do we want to let the Holy Spirit lead?   

-Do we want our lives to look like our neighbors down the street? Or do we want to let our Heavenly Father help us leave a holy legacy?  

When we reflect on all God has done for us. When we ponder the amazing grace of the cross. And when we remember all that lies ahead for us in Heaven, we realize the things of this world don’t really matter.   

We don’t need the perfect house. The perfect husband. Or the perfect kids.   

We just need Jesus.   

Without Him, we have nothing. With Him, we have everything.   

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”  

-Matthew 10:39 NLT  

The Real Message of Psalm 73  

As we read through Psalm 73, we see that:  

-Asaph is honest with God (13-14).   

-God corrects his perspective (17-20).   

-God shows Asaph what’s in his heart (21-22).   

-God doesn’t give up on him (23-24).   

-Asaph repents and declares God is worth it all (25-26).  

And then we see Asaph come full circle as he ends the psalm with this declaration:  

“But as for me, how good it is to be near God!  
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,  
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.”  

-Psalm 73:28 NLT  

Asaph struggled. He wrestled with God. But in the end, he chose to trust God.  To remember God’s goodness. To draw close to Him. And to tell everyone about the wonderful things God had done for him.  

Yes, living the Christian life can be hard.   

Our lives will not look like everyone else’s. But that’s okay.   

God doesn’t call us to live lives of comfortable convenience. He calls us to make a difference.   

To shine our lights into the darkness of our little corners of the world.   

This is the final message of Psalm 73. And the answer to why it is totally worth it to keep walking with God . . . even when life is hard.  

So that when that neighbor down the street who seems so put together comes to you. Confesses that their life is falling apart. And then wants to know how you can have so much joy and hope despite your struggles . . . you can tell them about your Jesus.   

All that He has done for you. The hope you have because of Him.   

And that He really is the answer for everything.