Life isn’t always fair! In fact, most of us can attest to at least one experience in our lives that left us saying “THIS JUST AIN’T FAIR!” Maybe it was the unexpected death of a loved one. Maybe it’s a failed marriage that you’ve been praying over. Maybe that friend you confided in betrayed you. Maybe your children are acting out. Maybe you’ve been trying to get healthy and the doctor just gave you bad news. Maybe you got passed over for a promotion you just knew you were qualified for. Maybe you have been believing God for something and it hasn’t happened and you are ready to give up. Whatever your “experience” is, realize you are NOT alone. We have all been there to some degree.
Sadly, many of us believe that because we “get saved” (you know stand in front of the church, with tears running down our face, confessing our sins and promising to change our way of life 
-insert sarcasm) things are miraculously going to be fair. And if we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves in this entitlement mode where we feel things are “just supposed to happen”. You know you’ve been faithful over the few things. You’ve stopped doing the “big sins”. You pay your tithes AND offering. You’ve sought the Lord. You’ve fasted AND prayed. The man or woman of God even prophesized that it was going to happen. But where is it? This “just ain’t fair!
When you walk around thinking things are unfair – many times it’s because YOU feel someone has done something “wrong” to you or YOU didn’t get your way about something you feel you are owed or entitled to. Thank god you didn’t get what you deserved!
Please read this carefully …. The bible does NOT say it would be fair! The bible does NOT say because you do a few things “right” you are entitled to anything. In fact, it says “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23).
Okay, let’s break that down. It clearly states to become a disciple of the Lord, there are certain things we must do and it’s not doing good deeds or doing it your way!
According to this scripture to become a disciple of God, you must:
1) Deny yourself – Realize it’s not your way. It’s not about what you want. It’s not always going to come out the way you want it to. Get over yourself and ask God what His will for your life is. Ask God how would He like for you to handle this situation?
2) Take up your cross daily – Going before God is a daily command. I don’t know about you but I need God every day because I mess up every day! Just when you think you are delivered, there will be another area to surrender to God. It’ a daily surrender and confession. We have thorns in our flesh – get that thorns, several not one. We all struggle. We all fall short. Which is why we need Jesus daily.
3) Follow God – Kinda hard to follow God – I mean really follow God while catering to your flesh and your worldly desires. When God called the disciples, they dropped everything and went with Him. They didn’t worry about their businesses or their families. They didn’t worry about what people were going to say. They didn’t say wait, God, let me get this right first. Nope they dropped it all. Are you willing to drop it all and truly follow God? Even if it doesn’t feel “fair”?
Think about it – the disciples really did have to deny themselves. They took up their cross daily and followed Jesus everywhere. But they were able to receive the teachings of Jesus first hand and reap the benefits of being in the presence of God’s son. Can you imagine having Jesus physically walk with you and answer any question you may have?
God has special “gifts” set aside for those who truly believe and will follow Him. He promised an abundant life. He promised beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise for heaviness, peace for sorrow. I don’t know about you but when God can turn what seems bad in my life around and make it GOOD – I’ll take that over fairness any day. When He can offer peace over turmoil, send His son to die for my sins, love me despite my short comings – you can have entitlement. I’ll take the favor of God any day. I may not be able to have Jesus stand (physically) beside me and answer every question but He left the Holy Spirit to be my comforter and guide me just like He did the disciples. Now I just have to get out of my flesh and listen to instruction!
Until Next Time,
