“But, that’s not fair!” wailed my little grandson. In my heart, I thought, I feel ya!

If we’re honest, we’ve all had moments when we’ve cried out, “Lord, that’s not fair!”  In our humanity, we long for life to be fair. But, life doesn’t always go that way does it? Some people have more than others and succeed at everything they try. Still others seem to experience continual favor and never really suffer.  From a human perspective it just doesn’t seem fair does it?

Your thoughts might go something like this:

• Lord, it’s not fair that my friend’s kids are walking with You and mine are not.
• Lord, it’s not fair that my co-worker’s career is booming and mine is dying.
• God, it’s not fair that my unbelieving neighbor is in great health and I’m fighting cancer.
• God, it’s not fair that my friend is pregnant and I’ve been struggling with infertility for so long.

Elijah felt like life wasn’t fair after his victory on Mount Carmel. He had called on the power of the Lord and witnessed a miraculous display like most have never seen (I Kings 18). Elijah should have been on an emotional and spiritual high but one threat from Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife sent him running for his life. Exhausted, Elijah, curled up in a cave asked the Lord to take his life. Then he accused God of not treating him fairly, “I’ve been very zealous for you and this is not fair!” (I Kings 19:10 my paraphrase.)

As I’ve been thinking about fairness a few thoughts come to mind that help me when I want to scream, “God, that’s not fair!”

• God never promised life would be fair.
• I must guard against exhaustion or I’ll lose perspective.
• I must surrender my feelings of injustice and trust God’s sovereignty. Very difficult. But, when we surrender, He gives Himself and in the end that’s what we long for most.

As we head into a new week, there might be moments when we feel tempted to cry out, “God that’s not fair!” What if instead we pray, Lord Jesus, teach me to trust You this week even when I can’t understand your ways. Help me, when life feels unfair to bow in worship rather than pitch a fit in the throne room. I praise You by faith that Your ways are always good.