100. Why is Life Unfair?

27 Jun, 2013

There’s some major questions we have to answer about the unfairness in life. Why is life so unfair? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is Michael Bay allowed to keep on making movies?

Life seems unfair… a lot. Why does the lazy bum at work get to keep his job, while I get let go? Why are my parents having problems and not other parents? How is that person successful, while I’m not, even though I’m better than them?

The question arises, “If God is a God of justice, wouldn’t things be fair – where the good get rewarded and the evil get punished?” Yes, God is just, but He has a different perspective than we do. Half the time we’re in the middle of what will be a good thing and it just hasn’t paid off yet.  We have to look at the whole thing – the entire completed process. We can’t judge a cake before it’s done.

When someone breaks up with you, or you lose your job or house, whatever it is… it sucks right then. But you can’t judge it then, because you have to wait for the whole thing to be done. It’s hard because we are temporal creatures – we live in the present. We’re not like God who isn’t bound by time and sees all time like how we see a line on paper. God’s perspective is kinda like how you can see all points on this amazing illustration… While we’re stuck in the “unfair” time, God can see you when the process is done. Look at the story of Joseph if you want to see someone who had a life that was ‘unfair’. Sold into slavery, falsely accused, imprisoned. Life totally sucked for Joseph. And during the time in prison he easily could have said life was unfair. And if life is unfair, then God is unfair. But there was more to God’s plan. Joseph eventually became ruler of Egypt through all that. The good came to pass.

For us, yes areas of life will be better, but we should focus on the spiritual good that will come out of ‘unfair’ times.  Focus on the spiritual growth that God is in the process of accomplishing. So what do we do? When you think life is being unfair, know that God allows these things for a greater purpose. We don’t even need to know the purpose – we just need to know that God does.

God is growing your faith, which means you’ll be closer to Him, which means you will grow in your peace and happiness. Faith will lead to peace. And the knowledge that one day justice will prevail and one day… Michael Bay will stop making movies.


Gen 39:20 But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Fast forward …) Genesis 41: 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Take time to pray: Ask God for the faith and patience needed to wait till the cake is done.