When Life (God) Doesn’t

Seem Fair

Job 2:7-10

7  So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 8  And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. 9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. 10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

The apparent “unfairness” of life

It is obvious that different people in similar circumstances receive different things in life.

Real life examples…

Why do we think these situations are unfair?

Discouragement is often the result

Job 2:9 “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.”

Is God really unfair?

Let’s look how others have struggled with this question.

Jonah 4:4 4  Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

Let’s look how others have struggled with this question.

Job 23:1-7 1  Then Job answered and said, 2  Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. 3  Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! 4  I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5  I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. 6  Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. 7  There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered

for ever from my judge.

Let’s look how others have struggled with this question.

Job 38:1-3 1  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Let’s look how others have struggled with this question.

Job 42:1-3 1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

Let’s look how others have struggled with this question.

Genesis 18:25 (KJV) 25  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

What that means for us today, and what we must understand.

Two knots in a rope to keep us from falling.

God is right in all that He does and doesn’t do.

Genesis 18:2525  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Psalm 62:5-7 5  My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

This life is just a prelude to a better LIFE.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Romans 8:18 18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Hebrews 11:13-16 13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

We are not home yet!