It's Not Fair!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:19 ESV).

I have often listened to the long litany of things that people are not happy about. It comes with the territory. However, the root of these discussions is always in our discontentment. It leads to wishful but hopeless thinking. Often people attempt to replace and eliminate anything that they perceive is linked to this discontentment. They identify the problem as circumstantial, or external. However, the problem is not with where we are or what is happening. Listen to the Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs: It is a common saying that there are many people who are neither well when they are full nor when they are fasting. . . . There are some people who are of such irritable and unpleasant dispositions that no matter what condition they are put in, they are obnoxious. There are some who have unpleasant hearts, and they are unpleasant in every circumstance they encounter. Sick or healthy, single or married, rich or poor, fruitful or barren, hungry or stuffed — regardless of the circumstance — we can find a way to be discontent regardless of our plight in life. The human heart is impossible to satisfy with temporal conditions or earthly goods. We always want more. Life could always be better. The Christian’s unhappiness, discontentment, and view of God are directly linked. Discontentment screams, “You deserve better!” and whispers, “God is not giving you what you deserve.” The former screams are blatantly false, but the latter whispers are profoundly true. Satan is the master of mixing lies with truths. It’s a lie that you deserve better. The statement also assumes that you know what’s best and that God’s gifts aren’t best for you. The lie leads you to believe that you’re wiser than God and interprets his direction for your life as an attack rather than a mercy and gift. It’s true that God is not giving you what you deserve. We deserve God’s wrath, yet daily we receive new mercies. However, we are forced to ask how can sickness, suffering, and other tragedies be considered mercy? It is begun by realizing that every morning we don’t wake up in hell is an example of God’s mercy toward us. Even when we’re feeling our worst, God is showing us more mercy than we deserve. There is no calamity or tragedy that we can face that is worse than the holy wrath of God. At the same time, there is no earthly pleasure that can compare to the glory that is to be revealed. With this in mind, on our worst day, he’s worthy of thanksgiving and praise for all he’s done. Or, as we used to say in church growing up, “If God never does another thing for us, he’s already done enough.” That is the first step toward contentment. The Apostle Paul certainly knew what “unfair” looked like. Yet, in our reading he points us to the great gift of God in Jesus, who has secured the atonement and our eternal life. Now that’s something worth being very content with!