One of the common phrases my son uses is, “That’s not fair!” Whenever my wife and I favor his sister or don’t pay him enough for a job around the house, he’ll let us know of our injustice. We’ve gotten used to this over the years. Hopefully, he’ll learn that much of life is just not fair.

    Think for a moment about your own life — those times when you realized that life wasn’t fair. When a co-worker received a raise or promotion, and you didn’t. Or when a leader at church seemed to get away with bad decisions or power moves.

    In his excellent book, Your God is Too Safe, Mark Buchanan ponders the depths of this struggle as he wrestles with the unfairness of life in light of God’s power and love. Buchanan tells of Kaitlyn, a five year old girl in his community who is dying of Batten’s disease. Her little muscles are gradually becoming as hard as wood. Barring a miracle, this precious girl will likely die. Her mother loves the Lord and continually cries out to Him to heal her daughter. Friends at their church pray. Other churches pray. But little Kaitlyn doesn’t seem to be getting better.

    Ironically, life for the family next door is going so smoothly. Their house is paid for. Their kids are healthy. And they recently won the lottery. Buchanan says, “I’m not sure if they ever prayed to win the lottery or if they ever pray at all.” Life isn’t fair.

    Buchanan raises tough questions: Why do some people have things go so well for them and others continually face many difficulties? Why do some of the strongest Christians, who love Jesus with all their hearts, sometimes suffer so much... and yet simultaneously those who seem to ignore God completely live carefree lives?

We’ll always face the inequities of life.

    We’ll always face the inequities of life. The big issue is this: how are you and I going to face the unfairness of life and not give in to bitterness? I think it all comes down to looking to Jesus and trusting in Him and His perfect will, even while admitting that life is very perplexing.

    Remember how unfair life was for our Savior. The cross was certainly unfair — Jesus dying for sins He didn’t commit — so that you and I, who did commit sins and deserved to die, are set free.

    Let me urge you to read this passage today: Philippians 2:1-13. It’s a classic description of how Jesus dealt with the unfairness of life. I want to face the injustices of life as my Savior and Lord did — by being obedient to the Father. And then thank the Lord Jesus for how His submissive life resulted in new life for you.

    As we let the mind of Christ dwell in us, we can face the truth that life truly is not fair and yet still be at peace because Jesus helps us overcome anything — including life’s injustices.