LIFE ISN'T FAIR BUT GOD IS
by BILL BURNS
The title of this message was inspired by a booklet written by Ben Goode, “The Truth About Life.”
From the book –
Our perspective on this subject is found in the title of the message – “But God Is.”
In the natural order of events, it is easy to recognize that life definitely isn’t fair. Watch the news.
Consider the facts:
1. You didn’t get to choose your parents or family. So, you were positioned in life without a say-so. You didn’t get to choose your gender (boy or girl). You didn’t get to choose whether you would be tall or short, fat or thin, good looking or not, rich or poor, smart or mentally challenged. Generational curses we don’t deserver and didn’t do anything to get.
2. Life would seem more fair if we didn’t make comparisons. When we compare ourselves to others, we will come to the conclusion that life definitely isn’t fair. Why are some blessed, and I am not?
3. Children learn this right away. She got a bigger piece of _____. Why did he get the blue one?
4. And, adults do it also. Why are they prospering and I’m not? Why did they get a promotion and I didn’t?
And, so it goes. We ask ourselves questions that are never answered and this also confirms the fact that life is not fair.
So, we come into the Kingdom of God thinking that now life will be fair because God is. All Christians will treat me fairly. Sure they will!!
If you believe that everything in life will be trouble-free because you are now a Christian, you are setting yourself up for disillusionment and failure.
Job 5:7 Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.
Isaiah 50:11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled––This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment.
But, what if I don’t sin; what if I live a godly life? Then, surely life will be fair to me.
1 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
It is true that God loves us all and He is no respecter of persons, but still – bad things happen to good people because the devil is busy.
1 Peter 2:19-21 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";
The purpose for suffering is found in:
1 Peter 1:5-7 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.
Suffering makes up depend on God.
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
Consider the “unfairness” that happened to God’s servants:
1. In Acts chapter 16 Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison. Is that fair? Couldn’t God have kept them from the trouble? But, because God allowed the trouble, the jailer and his household came into the Kingdom of God.
2. Shadrach, Meschach and Abed-nego were thrown into the furnace because they would not compromise their faith. But, God delivered them.
Daniel 3:28-30 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
"Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–Nego in the province of Babylon.
3. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den because he served God. Was that fair?
Daniel 6:22-24 "My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you." Then the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God. And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions––them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
Life isn’t fair, but God’s justice is!
4. David and his men lost all of their families and possessions at Ziklag, but God enabled David to “recover all.”
1 Samuel 30:8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all."
5. Paul’s trouble:
2 Corinthians 11:
23 Are they ministers of Christ? ––I speak as a fool––I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness––
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
So, life for Paul wasn’t fair, but God IS. In 2 Timothy 3:11, Paul said that God delivered him out of all the persecution and afflictions.
1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Here’s IT:
Life isn’t fair, but God is. All of your trouble is to perfect you. You are being trained as God’s priests and kings to reign with Christ forever. So, the training isn’t easy.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Chastening—instruction—the whole training and education of children.
Life isn’t fair, but God is.
Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.