2005-10-24 - Life Isn't Fair!

Psalm 11, Part 1

The man is sitting at a writing desk. He is dressed in a simple robe, and apparently he is having trouble putting his ideas down, because there are scraps of parchment scattered around the room. Let's listen in and hear what he's saying. "What can the holy do?" ”No! "What can the righteous do?" Let's see how it sounds:

"In the Lord I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
"Flee like a bird to your mountain.
For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings,
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.
When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?"

Lord, I know that You have placed me in the palace to serve You and therefore to serve Saul. ”I know that You've anointed me to be king after him. I've tried to do my best, but he's after me again. I don't know how much longer I can take this. I know You've promised to provide all I need to handle this, but to tell You the truth, I don't want to be any stronger. Being one of the great saints isn't my idea of a wonderful goal for life. It isn't that I've haven't been trying to trust in You. I know You're to be my refuge, but there are times when life is so overwhelming, that it's as if You don't even hear me. Sometimes I think I would've been better off simply staying a shepherd. Bears and lions weren't all that bad. I don't think I want to be king of Israel anyway. I want to do the right thing, but it's a lot harder than it should be. It seems that because I have struggled to serve You, You should make things easier. Life just isn't fair!

You heard what my so-called friends have been telling me. All they can do is focus on the down side of the situation. They keep telling me that Saul is out to get me, like I don't already know that, and I'd better run. When you hear that often enough, soon it seems like a good idea. I know they desire to obey You, but maybe they're right. Maybe I'm just fooling myself. Maybe the reason things are so hard is because I'm not really doing what You want me to, and You've been trying to tell me, using Saul to point out my misunderstanding of Your will.

And it just isn't Saul. ”Everything seems to be against those of us who strive to serve You. The very fact I try to be what You want me to be seems to make life more difficult, more complicated and more painful. It's like obedience to You is a magnet for trouble. Everything I believe in is being undermined. Shouldn't I get a break for obeying?

There's no justice! Life just isn't fair! I just don't know what to do.” ”Well actually, I do know what to do, even though I don't feel like it right now. I've got to tell the guys the only way we can live is to depend on You, no matter how difficult circumstances seem to be. We can't evaluate Your will by the ease or difficulty of our lives. You are our refuge, and though I may not always feel it, I know it's true.

Life isn't fair, but I can't live demanding that it is. The only thing the righteous can do is to trust in You. Please Lord, I do trust you! Help me trust You more! Well, at least I know one thing for sure, that no matter what goes wrong, I can come to You. Let's see how this sounds.

The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.
The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked, and those who
love violence,
his soul hates.
On the wicked, he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

To be continued.

Comments or Questions?
Geoff

GKragen@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org