Life Isn't Always Fair... But, God is Always Good

October 25, 2023

Life here on Earth is not exactly a walk in the park. Whether you are

a believer or not, you will experience pain and problems here on Earth

(stick with me, the encouraging part is coming).

Jesus even told us in John 16:33,

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In

this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the

world.”

So, Jesus doesn’t promise his followers an easy life. And, in many

cases, life isn’t fair. None of us are exempt from suffering,

loneliness, discouragement, or criticism, because God is developing in

us the character of Christ. In order to do that, he takes us through

some of the same struggles that Jesus experienced during his time on

Earth.

Here’s the encouraging part. The good news is that Jesus overcame

the world, and it won’t always be this way for those who follow him.

This isn’t the end of the story, Heaven is. One day there truly will be

no more pain. No more suffering. No more cancer. No more sickness. No

more evil. No more death.

But, in addition to the hope and promise of Heaven, even now, during

our time here on Earth, God is working things together for good. God

can use dark and stressful times for good. He can give you an

unexplainable peace in the midst of trouble. And, He’ll use troubles to

show us how to help others, to teach us to trust him, and to draw us

closer to other believers.

The apostle Paul and the people around him found this to be true. Paul says, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others” (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT).

And then Paul goes on to explain how he and his companions learn to trust God through hard times: “We

were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we

thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But

as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only

on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9 NLT). 

Through their struggles, they became closer to God but also to other believers: “You

are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks

because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety” (2 Corinthians 1:11 NLT).

We all go through difficult times. The difference for those

who believe in Jesus is our confidence in God’s promise to be with us,

grow us in spiritual maturity, and use our difficulties for good.

Because, God is good.

God proved his goodness through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “For

God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that

everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 CSB).

When you choose to have God in your life, he will not waste the pain

you've experienced in your life. He can bring good out of it. 

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose."