Life Isn't Fair

Life isn’t fair.  All of us have experienced situations where this statement has proven itself.  Though we quote that phrase many times, we tend to believe that life should be fair, especially when it comes to our personal life concerns.    We find ourselves lamenting about things that we don’t have much or any control over. It’s not fair that we didn’t get a raise.  It’s not fair that so and so lives in a bigger house than I do.  It’s not fair that my child sits the bench or isn’t chosen for the lead in the school play.  Although based on different circumstances, our laments remind me of the Old Testament cry of “Why do the wicked prosper?”  Not that everyone who achieves more than we do is wicked, but we become frustrated when those we deem no better than us or not even as good as us, succeed.

Though we might not say it out loud, in our hearts we cry out, “Why me” or” Why, God?”  Before we ask the great “Why” to God, we need to realize some things.  First, we live in a fallen world.  Check out Genesis 1-3 and you will see that God’s creation as deemed by God was “very good.”  What happens is man exercises his free will and sins against God allowing moral evil to enter the world.  Most of what we deem as unfair in life is due to man’s moral depravity that loves itself more than anything else.  The man not controlled by the spirit of God is controlled by his own fleshly desires.  The other tragedies that befall man are due to natural disasters caused by a corrupted creation that occurred after man’s sin in the garden.  Romans 8:22 reminds us that creation awaits to be made complete again.

In considering the idea that God isn’t fair to us, think deeply.  If he was fair, none of us would have a chance at eternal life.  We all have sinned and come short of God’s holiness.  There is nothing we can do within ourselves to achieve God’s holiness.  We should be glad he isn’t fair.  We deserved punishment for our sins; he offers us forgiveness.  We deserved death and he gives us eternal life, not on our merits but by his love shown in his grace and mercy toward us in Jesus Christ. 

This Sunday we will be looking into the subject, “When You Believe in God, but Don’t Think He’s Fair,” and seek to answer our “Why God?” questions.

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Jeff