Sometimes life just isn’t fair.
That promotion at work was given to a slovenly coworker.
Your boyfriend breaks up with you unexpectedly.
Those girls you’ve been hanging out with have started a vicious rumor about you.
Your parent dies.
Your child is sick.
You can’t get along with your mom to save your life.
Your dad abandoned you.
You got in a car wreck on your way to the hospital to see your dying grandmother.
A hurricane hits the weekend of your wedding on the beach.
There are complications with you pregnancy.
I could go on and on and on, but the only thing fair in all these circumstances is that life isn’t fair for anyone all the time. Though sometimes it feels like God plays favorites and maybe even picks on you more than most, he doesn’t.
Because then, he wouldn’t be God.
He’d be the product of an ancient myth, throwing golden apples in our path to distract us and entertian himself to fulfill some narcissistic desire.
But that’s not God.
In his Psalms, David epitomizes the nature and essence of God.
This man after God’s heart never asked to be anointed as King, but he was blessed with this great honor and for a short while enjoyed the favor of man.
But then life got unfair.
And David’s life of pleasure and privilege turned to life on the run, overnight.
You see, it wasn’t God playing favorites here either. It was man. And man’s approval is as unpredictable and changing as the winds. You enjoy the favor of man’s approval and maybe even seek it. Then when it shifts you’ll always be disappointed.
Life will always be unfair.
But when you pursue the favor and pleasure of God, that’s when life becomes FULL in spite of (and sometimes because of) the injustices.
“Do rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men? (58:1). All day long, they twist my words (56:5). [but] I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until disaster has passed (57:1b)”.
Because it will always pass.
“For great is your love, reaching to the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the sky. (57:10)”
Even though “I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me (59:4). My loving God will go before me and will let me gloat after those who slander me (59:11) [and] I will sing of your strength in the morning. I will sing of your love for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble (59:16).”
It’s always darkest before dawn, but because our God IS fair. He IS right. He IS just. If we fight until dawn breaks, we will see just how glorious that morning can be!