When Life Seems Unfair by Susan Davidson
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"Come, Lord Jesus, come!" It's the way John chose to end the book of Revelation, and as a dear friend of mine pointed out, it's the cry of our hearts when our faith becomes real, when our faith becomes sight.
This week, my friend, Susan Davidson, is sharing her reflection of Psalm 82 with us. As she does, I pray John's words become the cry of our hearts together. When we face injustice, may we learn to steward our suffering well by praying fervently, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!"
Susan Davidson, in her own words, is a simple country girl at heart. She spends a big chunk of her days in a pair of jeans and sneakers, walking her dog and watching for woodpeckers and squirrels. She draws strength from her Jesus and the mountains she calls home. She is a wife, mother, Gran Gran, daughter, caregiver, and friend who counts spending time with her special people as some of life’s greatest blessings. She is most content when she has coffee in her cup, pen in hand, and a great worship song in her heart. She is a blogger and devotion writer. She is also a Compel Training volunteer and challenge winner featured in the Proverbs 31 Ministry publications entitled Hope When Your Heart is Heavy and Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart, the latter of which was released Thomas Nelson Publishing and will include ten new devotions written by Lysa TerKeurst. When not busy serving from the home front, you can find her sharing her words and heart on her blog and on FB and IG.
Injustice.
A word I have wrestled to understand. Times when the things happening in this world seem so unfair. Times when, on a hard day, the age-old question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” sits just below the surface of my heart.
I lay on the floor of my living room crying several years ago, asking God why he had allowed my husband to become sick with a debilitating illness. After all, God could have prevented it, and even now, He could bring complete healing by just speaking the word. It just seemed so unfair.
I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to skip over the injustices of this world and all the things that feel unfair and get straight to God bringing a pain-free life into view. It takes seeking out the truth of God’s word to better understand this word called injustice. When we do, we discover that sin is the reason such a cruel word made it to our vocabulary in the first place. It was in the Garden that sin destroyed the landscape of a flawless, pain-free world where man once walked with God in the cool of the day.
How often do we give in to our flesh and blame God for the consequences? How often do we view injustices as a reason to doubt the goodness of God? Things like suffering, sickness, pain, and, yes, even when life seems so unfair, will be part of this world until God judges this earth and makes all things right again.
I am not the only person ever seeking God when life seems unfair. The heart of a man named Asaph sought answers, too, as he pleaded with God to bring righteous judgment to this broken world.
In Psalms 82:3-4, Asaph cried out to God to
Provide justice for the needy and fatherless, uphold the rights of the oppressed and the needy. Rescue the poor and needy; save them from the power of the wicked. - Psalm 82:3-4
Asaph also asked in Psalms 82:8,
Rise, God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you. - Psalm 82:8
The good news is that God one day will do just as Asaph so boldly asked. He will right all the wrongs, end all unfair things, and heal our broken world.
One sweet day, Jesus will step out in the clouds of glory, setting in motion one of the most remarkable reversals known to humankind. God will then bring justice to every child of God.
One glorious day, God will completely heal my husband, and his body that has been ravaged by the disease called Multiple Sclerosis will be made completely whole again.
There will never again be such a thing as child abuse or sex trafficking. No child will ever be neglected again.
There will never again be a life cut short too soon because of hate.
No one will ever suffer again for a crime they did not commit.
No one will ever be treated unfairly again because of the color of their skin.
All wrongs will be corrected.
Things like hunger, homelessness, and disease will be completely eradicated.
Death will be no more, and God will wipe every tear from our eyes, for we will never have a reason to be sad again.
Asaph asked God how long until justice was served. All signs now point to the answer.
Soon, Jesus will come again.
Soon, for those who fear the name of the Lord,
“The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.” (Malachi 4:2)
Soon, the very word called injustice will be no more.
Now, It's Your Turn!
Before opening God's Word, take a moment to pray and ask God to meet you there. Then...
Read Psalm 82 a couple times. Highlight what stands out to you.
Circle verbs or specific wording you notice.
Then, write down a bullet point takeaway based on this. "I-statements" help make this personal. Think of this as a challenge statement.
When life seems unfair and injustice is all around me, I will remember I know how this story ends and darkness has never and will never overcome the light.
Then, jot down a question or two to think about today. You don't have to have the answer to this question now. And yield to the Holy Spirit - prayerfully ask God to search your heart and lead you to more truth and grow your faith through the Holy Spirit.
How often do I give in to my flesh and blame God for the consequences? How often do I view injustices as a reason to doubt the goodness of God? How can I view the injustice around me through the truth of God's word?
Again, we don't have to be Bible scholars and talk only in the thou's and art's of King James version to read this book. ...because when we pray before we read, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with us, guiding and teaching us.
Praise God for this!
And praise God for refreshment as we are intentional to spend a summer in the Psalms together, for if we want His truth to ever be on our lips, it must first be planted in our hearts.
Our strength grows as we rely on strength from above. Our joy grows as we see God transforming us from the inside out. Our peace grows as we spend time in God's presence, and we find rest when we intentionally seek the Lord first in our lives, for the Lord is ever our portion.
The good life, well it starts with a good day. Then another. Then another. Let's choose to live #TheGoodDay one day at a time.
I love hearing from you, so go ahead. Leave a comment. Be brave. Maybe your comment will speak life into someone else!
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