Psalms 10

The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.” Psalms‬ ‭10:4-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When people who choose not to follow God and His ways are successful and prosperous in life, we are sometimes left wondering where God’s justice is.  Wouldn’t it be more fair for the wicked to struggle through life and live in poverty while the righteous (those who follow God) prosper and thrive in whatever they do?  How could God possibly allow people who blatantly hate and disrespect Him to live affluent, comfortable, and sometimes glamorous lives?  God told Adam in Genesis 3:17 “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.”  Because of original sin, everyone is required to work hard in order to be successful.  In most instances, the harder one works, the more money and possessions one can obtain.  Although God may choose to bless an obedient follower of Christ with wealth and power, the truth is that financial success is not necessarily related to one’s faith in God.  Jesus said that God “…causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).  The conditions for financial prosperity or hardship exist for both the righteous and the unrighteous.  The key thing to remember, however, is that Earthly wealth and power do not indicate God’s approval or blessing on a person’s life.  It is absolutely false that wealth and power lead to a content and happy life. There are many examples of millionaires and billionaires that are absolutely miserable despite being able to afford anything they could possibly want!  Depression, anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders are very prevalent amongst young, affluent people.  There are also numerous studies that show that the more wealthy a country is, the higher the rate of depression is within the population.  This is yet another example where following God’s ways will lead to true blessings in life, as opposed to following the ways of modern culture.  Having a genuinely blessed life comes from living in obedience to the Holy Spirit, not constantly striving to be the best, fastest, or have the most.  Living God’s way leads to a life filled with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).  Being able to experience and produce the fruit of the Spirit has absolutely nothing to do with money and possessions, but has everything to do with what you truly value in life.  God measures success and prosperity based on the current condition of your heart and your destination for eternity.  Avoid looking at financial success or lack thereof as a way to determine whether or not God is happy with how you are living your life. 

Such freedom will be gained when you realize and believe that the benefits and blessings that come from our Heavenly Father far exceed the value of any amount of temporary financial wealth.