Ears To Hear # 30

LIFE’S NOT FAIR!
GOD IS!

         “That’s not fair! That’s not fair! That’s not fair! Life’s not Fair!”
         Go ahead and say it. I know you’ve been wanting to for a long time. Like a lump caught in your throat, you’ve shoved it down most of your life.
         Now, say it, and be Free!
         You’ve been trained NOT to say this. It made you feel like a wimp, as people rolled their eyes and put you down for saying such a silly thing.
         The reason they rolled their eyes was because they knew what you said was the truth, but they didn’t have an answer for it themselves.

         I picture now, one of my young athletes. The referee calls a foul on her. Her mouth falls open, hands on hips, she stands glaring at the official. “No way. I did not foul”
         She looks at me, “Coach, I did not foul.” But the game must go on, so she is left with the words still stirring inside of her, “Not fair! Not fair! Not fair!”
         It affects the rest of her game. Whether her team wins or loses the call has been made. With a win, she can pretty well let it go. But if the team loses, she will likely continue to blame the official, saying, “I know I didn’t foul. That’s not fair!”
         If her coach is wise and has “ears to hear”, she’ll listen to this player’s cry. She’ll let her release these hurt, angry, and confused swords, “That wasn’t fair. We shouldn’t have lost the game. I followed the rules and he called a foul on me anyway.”
         The coach will be able to agree with her and because of her wisdom be able to comfort her with better words than a smart lick answer of “Who ever said life was fair? Drop it. Get on with it. Let it Go. Don’t be such a cry baby. Don’t let the other girls see you complaining. Get tough!”.
         These words make me think of Job. They all have some truth in them, but not enough to satisfy the questions in a child’s heart.
         If the athlete leaves the coach’s office with this need unmet, she will attach this experience to the rest of her life.
         From then on, she will see all the unfairness in the world and still not understand why. It will lead to more hurt, blame, anger, and confusion.

STOP THE GAME

         Let’s stop the game right now…and say it out loud. “Life is Not Fair.” Now, doesn’t that feel good? Do you know why it feels good? Because you have just spoken the truth.
         God’s Word says, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).

YOU PLAYED BY THE RULES

         You played by the rules, but someone else in your life did not. Aren’t you suppose win every game as long as you play by the rules?
         Surely there will be a perfect basketball, football, baseball, volleyball, etc. game in Heaven where every player plays by the rules: no one fouls, even accidentally; the officials see accurately, and the coach calls all the right plays. There will be no shin splints, turned ankles, wobbly knees. The court will be clear of all dirt or objects that cause an athlete to slip. The fans will be cheering and respectful of the team, coach, and officials. All things will be working together for good.

ADAM AND EVE

         To understand “why” life is not fair, we go back to the Garden of Eden. I picture Adam and Eve walking out of the Garden, shaking their heads and Eve saying, “That’s Not Fair! The devil tricked me. It was your fault, Adam.”
         But they still had to go, didn’t they? Life had to go on. From this time on the Game of Life was never “fair”. They would never find a person who could be totally FAIR with them. Everything seemed to come against them. They were on their own without the special FAVOR God had provided for them in the Garden…His Plan.

WELL, IT’S STILL NOT FAIR

         “So…, Adam and Eve were duped by Satan. Why do I have to suffer for their disobedience?”
         God explains that we will suffer for the sins of our parents no matter how far back our linage goes. The world became contaminated that day in the Garden. Yet, all of God’s children have a hunger to return to such an ideal standard of life…where all is perfect.
         God knows all things. God knew what Adam and Eve would do before they did it. He always had a Plan and His Plan gets better, the more we understand it. Remember how BIG God is, and how GREAT is His Plan for you and me and the whole world.

THE CROSS

         Would the world say it was FAIR that Christ should have to die on the cross to pay for the sins that Adam and Eve committed? No. The world would not say that. But God always had a Plan for His children. 
         When they can BELIEVE all the things Christ did for them at the Cross, they have the KEY to the Garden of Eden. They can enter His Presence in TOTAL CONFIDENCE of His Love and acceptance, no matter how Unfair Life is.
         God desires a TRUE relationship with His sons and daughter. To remain children as Adam and Eve could have in the garden, was not enough for God. “I” think He wanted a stronger, more mature relationship with His children. He wanted them to know Him better. He wanted them to understand His sorrow as much as His joy. He wanted them to experience His life by having a life of their own. He wanted more of them than what Adam and Eve had to offer. They were created from the dust of the earth, but we have a choice. Oh, how much more satisfying it is to God to know that we chose Him.

IN THE GAME 

         All the attributes of God are able to be found in this Game of Life. Especially in the “unfairness” as man sees it.
         I have sat on the bench both as a coach and as a player, and I tell you, it is not a fun place to be. Every player has the God inherited desire to BE IN THE GAME. His SEED remains in us. (I John 3:9).
         Maybe we don’t see ourselves on the A-Team, or even the B-Team. But every player, even on what they see as the C-Team, hungers to BE IN THE GAME. Even, if they know the officials are lousy, if they have a choice, they had rather be IN THE GAME than ON THE BENCH.
         Those who choose to be in the Plan of God, are those who are being trained to make a difference in God’s Big Plan.
         Winds will blow on them, unfairness does abound. Sometimes we experience fairness from man, and sometimes we don’t. It’s all about training and drawing us ever closer to the reality of God. Bringing us into His Presence for His answers so that we can understand how closely we are related to our Heavenly Father. He says, “Those who suffer with Me, will also reign with Me.” (2 Timothy 1:12).
         No one wants to suffer. But in this “unfair world”, it’s in the suffering that we reach out to our Heavenly Father to ask the most important question, “Why?”
         He is well able to explain again and again…as many times as we ask.
         “Come to Me,” He calls to His children. “Enter My Rest. I want to comfort you. I’ll show you the way to walk. Trust Me! I am the only One and True God. No one comes to Me except through Jesus…who died for them and rose again. Come to Me, and I will help you understand.”

IN THIS UNFAIR WORLD

         In this unfair world, we see miracles that Adam and Eve would never see and appreciate. We have the Joy of learning lessons they already knew. We understand the kind of Grace they received before the fall. As we give birth to our children, we experience a type of God’s Creative Power….Even in the physical pain that goes with birth…we understand God better. Through the pain of giving His only Son for the Purpose of Birthing many sons and daughters. Christ Himself said the pain was worth it, for the glory that would follow.

SAY IT WITH CONVICITION

         Yes, we can now say it with conviction. “LIFE IS NOT FAIR.” The reason we can say it freely now is because we understand it to be a truth. The truth always makes us free.

GOD SENT HIS HOLY SPIRIT

         God knows all things, from the beginning to the end and through eternity. He sent His Holy Spirit to teach us the answer to our many questions like this one. Praise God. He has made provision for our every spiritual and physical need. But, Praise God, God is a Spirit so that those who worship Him in Spirit will receive understanding and truth about this physical world God has planned for us to walk through. We gain insight into the Father’s heart as we go.

WHEN OUR GAME IS OVER

         One day, this earthly game will be played out. It will come to an end and we’ll see our Father face to face. One day, we will rejoice with Him as we celebrate His Plan with Him and all the saints and angels in Glory.         I can’t help but think of the rapture that went through us as players, coaches, and fans when the final buzzer went off in the gymnasium and our bodies were propelled off the bench or from the floor…Jumping and leaping; hugging and shouting. “We Won!”
         Who cared anymore if the game seemed to be “unfair”. We still won!
         And God smiles. His Plan is working! We are understanding Him better today than we did yesterday.
         God has a Process. And He Has a Plan. His Plan works. We can Trust Him. Life as we know it on earth…is Not Fair. But God has a HIGHER PLAN…and He is MORE THAN FAIR. Let’s stay in His Game