Why is life so unfair?
The lives of people who don’t believe in God are often times better than those who do believe in God.
Let’s take a quick look at a man who wrote a chapter in the book of Psalm. His name is Asaph, and he wrote Psalm 73. Asaph was dealing with a very difficult time in his life. He loved and honored God, but when he looked around at people who did not honor God, he noticed that their lives were better than his.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
73:2-5
Why would a righteous God prosper the wicked while he, a Godly man, has struggles? It’s not fair. Asaph is thinking, why worship God? What’s the point? Why even try to be faithful?
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
73:13-14
Then Asaph changes his thinking as he tries to make sense of it all.
When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me, till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
73:16-17
When he changes his thinking from self-centered to God centered, his situation starts to make sense. When he enters the temple of worship he discovers what Gods’ plan is.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
73:18-19
Now with his God centered “glasses” on, he can see that it is God and God alone that he needs.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
73:25-26