Life is Unfair!

Do you ever feel like all your striving is in vain when it comes to living for God? 

Do you ever feel like saying to God, "What's the point?  Can't you see those other guys over there who are not even living for You and how blessed and successful they are? Why do bad things always happen to the good people?"

Do you ever feel like it's unfair when you are met with struggle upon struggle, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual and you think to yourself, "Ok God, I don't understand. I know that those other people who are healthy, spunky and seem like they don't have a care in the world have not chosen to imitate Christ in their life or to live for You in anyway... so what gives? Why do they get the blessing and I don't?' 

If you find yourself relating to any or all of the above statements, then you may want to check out what the writer of Psalm 73 had to say when they were dealing with the same feelings. Also, I invite you to read my personal commentary/reflections below Psalm 73.  (The emphasis added throughout the Psalm are my own and fit with the commentary)

¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
   to those who are pure in heart.
 ² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
   I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
   when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
 ⁴ They have no struggles;
   their bodies are healthy and strong.
⁵ They are free from common human burdens;
   they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
   they clothe themselves with violence.
⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
   their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
   with arrogance they threaten oppression.
⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
   and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
   and drink up waters in abundance.
¹¹ They say, “How would God know?
   Does the Most High know anything?”
 ¹² This is what the wicked are like—
   always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
 ¹³ Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
   and have washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ All day long I have been afflicted,
   and every morning brings new punishments.
 ¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that,
   I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
   it troubled me deeply
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
   then I understood their final destiny.
 ¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
   you cast them down to ruin.
¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
   completely swept away by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream when one awakes;
   when you arise, Lord,
   you will despise them as fantasies.
 ²¹ When my heart was grieved
   and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
   I was a brute beast before you.
 ²³ Yet I am always with you;
   you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever.
 ²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
   you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
   I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
   I will tell of all your deeds.


My little commentary for while you are reading:

When you begin reading, I encourage you to pay attention to how verse 1 emulates the same kinds of feelings we had expressed above and how quickly a special realization sinks in for the writer (verses 2 and 3).

After that, the writer goes on to vent his frustration (And why not? God already knows what we are thinking...) and works himself through his finite understanding of the frustrating situation(s) around him. He expresses what all our hearts have probably cried at one time or another (verse 13). Finally, he gets to verse sixteen and the writer realizes they have been trying to understand all of this through their own understanding. What does God say in Proverbs 3:5,6? Doesn't He say to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." 

Notice it was not until after the author realized they needed to enter into God's presence (verse 17) and set aside their own understanding that they were able to see with the eyes of heaven and no longer with the eyes of man. And it was after this epiphany that they were able to receive the peace they desperately longed for. 

Now, verses 18-20 paint a sad picture, and one that should break our hearts on their behalf, because of what lies ahead for those who choose not to follow God. They are blinded by the earthly pleasures of this world and like we all do at times, they are not seeing life in the light of eternity.

However, the joy comes in the last several verses of the Psalm and are for those of us who do trust in God. Many times we like to think like the character in the cartoon at the beginning of this post, where we expect God to repay us for all our hard work. However, God blesses us with much more than that. He blesses us with a deep seeded joy that comes in knowing that when we were seen as "senseless and ignorant" before God, He still loved us and called us unto Himself. Reminding us that He is ever present and the source of all comfort and strength. ("But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8) 

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever.

AMEN