Spiritual Denseness and Dullness

One thing I struggle with this season is this sense of being spiritually dense, as if I am not hearing God as well as I ought to. Because I believe God is still planning good in my life, I'm trying not to let myself get too frustrated over it. But it does make me curious about being spiritually dense. What are some of the reasons people cannot hear clearly from him?

Asaph, one of the psalmists, had a struggle with this too.

Psalm 73:1 - Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

Amen, brother! Preach it!

Psalm 73:2-3 - But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Huh? I don't think I understand…

Psalm 73:4-5 - They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.

Are you sure?

Psalm 73:6-12 – Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?”
This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

Hold it there, Asaph. I'm getting the feeling that you are just generalizing here. You might see a few wicked prospering here and there, no denying that, but you make it sound like they ALL prosper. Are you sure that is what you really mean?

Psalm 73:13-14 - Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.

What I always thought was that we keep our hearts pure and our hands clean so that we may ascend the mountain of the LORD (Psa 24:4) and be in his presence. What does the prosperity of the wicked have to do with it? Were you thinking that keeping a pure heart and clean hands would ensure the speedy downfall of the wicked? I don't think it works like that!

I can see that you are troubled, Asaph. It looks to me like it's coming more from holding on to your expectations, that the world has to immediately confirm to YOUR idea of justice and reality, rather than what it actually is…

Psalm 73:15-16 - If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

It's good that you restrain your words in front of the children of Israel, so that you do not stumble them. What I suspect is that you are trying to 'understand' all this based on your perspective, rather than the Word of God. And personally, I sometimes find that even the Word of God doesn't get through my thick skull when my emotions run amok. I think the best thing to do is…

Psalm 73:17 - till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

Oh never mind, Asaph! I see you figured it out yourself.

Psalm 73:18-20 - Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

Notice a 180 degree change in perspective after entering the presence of God?

Psalm 73:21-24 - When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

This is one of my favourite promises in the Bible. It humbles me and exalts the goodness of God at the same time. It humbles me by reminding me that no matter how spiritual I think I am, I can easily fall back into being a senseless and ignorant beast before God. And yet even then God is still with me, he still holds me and guides me. His faithfulness and patience humbles me, moves my heart and brings me to repentance.

And let's not forget the later glory he has waiting for us!

Psalm 73:25-26 - Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

I've seen people quote this verse and try using it to preach people into desiring and longing for God above the things of this world. But I seldom see them preach it in its context. "Earth has nothing I desire besides you" is NOT a command from God. It’s a statement from Asaph AFTER he has entered the sanctuary of God. In other words, you can fulfil this verse ONLY when you are in the presence of God.

Final Observations:

First, envying the wicked and becoming spiritually dense seem to come together. I discovered this when I recently went through it myself. Which comes first and causes the other? I can't say for sure. But what I CAN say is that if you find yourself envying the wicked, check to see if your spiritual senses are dulled also.

And quickly run into the sanctuary of God before the bitterness that follows (Psa 73:21) has enough time to take root and defile you (Heb 12:15)!

Second, this entire Psalm, coming from someone as spiritually mature as Asaph, is a reminder that I will need to regularly enter the sanctuary of God to restore my vision and sensitivity towards God. Therefore, I have to guard that very jealously. I cannot let condemnation keep me from seeking God when I am by myself, and I cannot let offences with others keep me from seeking God when I am in the congregation of his people. To let being offended (or "disappointed", as the pseudo-spiritual would say) with other people keep me from the presence of God is foolishness and childishness to the highest degree.

Anyway, these are my thoughts and impressions from this Psalm. I hope that something from this would edify you and encourage you in the Lord. Be blessed!