Trusting God When Life's Not Fair

Are you going through something difficult right now? Are you experiencing pain or disappointment from a situation that just doesn’t seem fair? Well, one of the things I love most about God is that He’s a God of justice—He makes wrong things right.

I really love 1 Peter 2:23—I actually have this verse framed and hanging on my office wall. It says: When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (ESV).

When life doesn’t seem fair—when we’re being mistreated or enduring something difficult—it’s easy to want to take matters into our own hands. However, when these things happen, it’s a great time to say, “God, I’m going to trust You to be my vindicator.”

Trusting Through the Trial

 

Many people are used to trusting God for things—for a raise, for better health, or for the next great thing they would like to happen in their lives. However, God also wants us to trust Him through things—when we’re experiencing difficulties or when life isn’t working out the way we hoped. Trusting God allows us to enjoy our lives even when we don’t have everything we want.

 

For instance, maybe you’ve worked harder than ever at your job but still haven’t receive a promotion or a pay raise. Or even worse, maybe a co-worker (who doesn’t work nearly as hard as you) receives the promotion you wanted. This actually happened to me. I immediately thought, It’s not fair!

When this happens, you have a choice. You can choose to stay angry and bitter at all of the people involved and do your best to vindicate yourself. Or you can choose to trust God to make the wrong things right, knowing that all promotion comes from Him...knowing He can pay you back for all of your trouble.

God Is Our Vindicator

You may be familiar with my story. As a child, I was sexually abused and extremely mistreated by my father. My mother eventually found out, but fear prevented her from confronting the issue, so the abuse went on for years. When I turned eighteen, I was finally able to get away, so I left home the first chance I got. Soon after, I married the first man who came along because I was convinced no man would ever want me. 

But this only led to more pain. We eventually divorced after I discovered he was cheating on me with other women and was even involved in criminal activities like petty theft. So, for the first 23 years of my life, I endured a lot of painful experiences that left me bitter, resentful, and constantly blaming other people. 

You see, when we’re hurt or mistreated, we can develop a chip on our shoulder and have an attitude that says, someone owes me. I sure did. For years, I tried to “collect” from people who had no way of paying me back. Because a man (my father) hurt me, I found myself trying to make other men pay. 

Even when I finally married Dave, my amazing husband of now over 50 years, I took this attitude into our marriage and was unknowingly trying to get him to pay me back for what someone else did to me. 

However, as I began to read and study God’s Word, I discovered that God wants to be our vindicator, and He can pay us back for things others have stolen from us. 

Isaiah 61:7-18 (ESV) has meant so much to me over the years. It says, instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore, in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice….

Through scriptures like this one in Isaiah, God helped me to understand that no person can ever pay me back for what I went through—but He can. When I finally began trusting God to be my vindicator—when I got my eyes off of everyone else and focused on Him, it was truly amazing what He began to do in my life. 

Double for Our Trouble

Over the years, the Lord has continually given me unique opportunities and placed me in positions of influence. He has blessed me with His joy and surrounded me with people who love me. God has truly given me double for my trouble!

In fact, the Lord has many times placed me in positions where I was the only woman, surrounded by men. I finally prayed and asked God about it. He spoke to my heart and said, “Joyce, men always abused you, so I will always give you a place of honor among men.” 

God wants to do the same thing for you. He is no respecter of persons, and what He does for one person, He will do for another (see Acts 10:34).

If someone mistreats you, refuse to stay mad at them and trust God to bring justice into your life. I can promise you this: If you’ll stop trying so hard to take care of yourself—trying to manipulate people and situations to get “what you deserve”—you’ll be amazed at what God will do for you as you place all of your trust in Him. God can give you favor and put you places where no man could ever put you!

So, whatever’s going on in your life today—whatever you’ve endured and whatever doesn’t seem fair—I want you to know that you’re not invisible to God. He sees you, He knows exactly how much you can take, and He will deliver you at just the right time...He won’t be a moment late.