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Day 2 – Living Boldly: Life Is Not Fair

Day 2 – Living Boldly: Life Is Not Fair

Photo: ©Juanmonino from Getty Images Signature via Canva.com

One of life’s most challenging realities is unfairness. Perhaps you have heard someone say, “It’s not fair!” in response to something disappointing. Maybe you have said it yourself. If so, your frustration is natural because fairness aligns with how we think things should work. However, the reality is that life hasn’t been fair since Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8-14). Adam’s fall unleashed sin and death into a world God originally designed to be perfect (Genesis 2:7-9). Ever since unfairness has been woven into the fabric of life (Romans 5:12).

Life Over Coffee Devotions

Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17).

Why Life Isn’t Fair

The unfairness we see around us isn’t God’s fault—it’s a result of sin. Adam’s rebellion didn’t just affect him; it corrupted all of creation. Every person is born with a sinful nature (James 1:14-15), which means that all of us, without exception, take turns sinning against one another (Romans 3:23). Imperfect people do imperfect things in an imperfect world. This cycle will continue until Jesus returns to make everything perfect (Revelation 21:4).

I’m not suggesting you should condone unfairness. God doesn’t. He is a God of justice, and so are we. However, pretending life can or should be fair will only lead to uninterrupted frustration and bitterness. It’s like walking into a car wash and expecting to stay dry—it’s unrealistic. Instead of demanding fairness, we must decide how to respond to life’s inevitable disappointments, which brings us to an all-important question.

How Will You Respond?

When faced with unfairness, you have two options: respond sinfully or respond like Christ. Complaining, retaliating, or seeking revenge—only perpetuates the cycle of sin (Proverbs 14:12). On the other hand, responding with godliness breaks the cycle of sinful responses in our lives. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek (Luke 6:29), trusting God to work all things for good (Romans 8:28).

Jesus Himself faced the ultimate unfairness. He lived a perfect life but suffered and died for sins He didn’t commit. Yet, instead of lashing out, He entrusted Himself to God, who judges justly (1 Peter 2:21-25). If we follow His example, we can rise above life’s unfairness and experience the peace that comes from trusting God. We can be victorious, even as we grieve the unfairness in our fallen world.

Practicing Godly Responses

Learning to respond well to unfair situations takes time and practice. But the more you choose to respond with humility, an attitude of forgiveness, and trust in God, the more you’ll grow in Christlikeness. Over time, you’ll find that life’s unfairness has less power to discourage or frustrate you. You’ll even see some of the unfair things that happen to you become the building blocks to a life you could not experience without disappointment. This worldview makes God’s gospel counterintuitive to our native thinking.

Time to Reflect

  1. Does your life reflect a “what’s in it for me” attitude, or do you focus on “how can I serve others”? The self-centered life will think primarily on unfairness, while the other-centered life trusts in a God who judges justly.
    What do your responses to disappointments reveal about your heart? Perhaps considering the last unfair thing that has happened to you will help with this reflection. Where do you need to change?
  2. Ask the Lord to help you examine your heart and practice Christlike responses when life feels unfair.

Let’s live boldly, trusting God’s wisdom and goodness, even in a broken world.

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