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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).
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.
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.
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.
Let’s live boldly, trusting God’s wisdom and goodness, even in a broken world.
Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.
In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).