Wow! How many of us have struggled with those words and said them? As a child, we uttered them often when we felt our siblings were getting the better end of the deal. “It’s not fair!”

Those words became all too clear for my daughter, Michelle, several years ago. Michelle left her car parked in a very nice neighborhood, but when she returned, the glass had been smashed in. All her photos from her recent trip to the Feast of Tabernacles were taken and everything else of value.

And then, not a week later, the car was stolen from right in front of her house! The police called after a week saying they had found her car, but she would have to pay $100.00 to get it out of the in-pound. The thief had taken her car for a joy ride, trashed it, burned out the clutch and now she had to pay to get it out of the in-pound! What made matters worse was that the insurance company would not cover the damage. Michelle spent over $1,000 out of her own pocket to repair the damage and, because of the robbery, she felt she had to move to a higher rent area.

Where are the crooks? Probably free and stealing from someone else. Is life fair? Ask my daughter.

But while despairing and feeling life definitely was not fair, Michelle found her most prized possession. While cleaning the trash out of her car, she reached underneath the front seat. All scrunched up and with its pages twisted, she pulled out her Bible, which she thought had been also stolen. The thief took the valuable pen clipped to its pages, but kicked the Bible up under the seat.

Of all the things she thought she had lost, her Bible was the one thing she wanted back the most. It turned out the thief had left the most valuable item of all; the Bible, which holds the truth that will keep her focused and pressing on when things are just not fair.

Life is not always fair; but my daughter’s Bible helped put everything in focus for her—and for me. God has given us something that no one can take from us—His valuable truth and promises.

I have had to reflect on God’s promises during difficult times when life seems so unfair. One is found in the third chapter of Proverbs: “Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways;For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright” (Proverbs 3:31-32). God’s truth—God’s word—will always stay with us! The thief leaving Michelle’s Bible is a physical example that God will not allow His truth to be taken from us.

God is just! He sees everything that you and I are going through. He does not forget! Hebrews 10:30-31 says, “For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The LORD will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Life is not always fair and we do get kicked in the stomach from time to time, but we must get back up and press on toward the mark. For God will make it all come out okay in His time. In the meantime, just as my daughter forgot the unfairness by reflecting on the unexpected return of her Bible, we too must put everything in perspective and place great value on His promises. We must always remember that no one can take the promises and truth that God holds out to all of us who love Him and keep His commandments! No one can take our crowns unless we let them!

We may not have control over everything that happens to us, and we all will suffer many unfair things before it is all over, but we do have control over whether we get discouraged and quit!

So press on! For there is a world coming where life will be fair and you will have the opportunity to use those unfair situations that have happened to you for the good of mankind.

 For more information on getting help from the words of the Bible, request a free copy of Transforming Your Life: the Process of Conversion and Making Life Work.