Life Isn’t Fair, But God is Good

     The longer I live, the more I realize that I don't understand life.  We go through life believing that it should always be good and that we shouldn't have to go through one struggle after another.  But that's not the way life is.  Even Job, who experienced more loss than any of us will ever have to face, said in Job 2:10:  "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" 

     Have you ever heard a child say, "That's not fair!"  I have, on more than one occasion, responded to that remark:  "Life isn't fair."  We were never promised in the Bible that our life on this earth would be fair.  In fact, we are told just the opposite... "In the world you will have tribulation..." (John 16:33)  But Jesus goes on to say in the same verse: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace..." and "...but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  Jesus was preparing us, and He was reassuring us.  The key is to keep the reality of life in perspective and to trust God with every aspect of it.  

     I wrote this poem two years ago for one of our teenage boys in foster care.  It was written in a moment of frustration on my part, but sometimes that is when the truth is the most revealed.  Life is constantly changing, but God never changes (James 1:17)!  And His Word reminds us that though life may not seem fair at times, God is always good!

Life Isn’t Fair, But God is Good

I know that you say that life isn’t fair,

But whoever said life was a game?

You fight and you struggle with each passing day,

Always looking for someone to blame.

But whoever said that life would be fair?

Is it something you think you deserve?

For just when you think everything’s going well,

That’s the time life has thrown you a curve.

God never promised that life would be fair.

In fact, He said there would be pain.

For we are subject to this present world,

Where sin and injustice reign.

But God’s promised that He would be here with us,

Helping us through one day at a time.

He’s given us power to conquer this world,

By renewing and transforming our minds.

For when we believe we deserve so much more,

That’s a lie that the enemy brings.

We can’t let our hearts make their home in this world,

But set them on higher things.

I pray someday you’ll say that though life wasn’t fair,

You’ve regarded your life as you should.

And the wisdom you’ve gained will tell you one thing:

That through it all, God has been good.