“Not only is life unfair, but in this case, God is unfair.”

A thought by Craig Groeschel from his book, Hope in the Dark: Believing God Is Good When Life Is Not (p. 52). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

What?  God is sometimes unfair?

Craig says, “To be clear, he’s never unfair according to his standards, but he’s certainly unfair according to ours. And that’s good news for us. Because if he were fair (according to our understanding), then none of us would stand a chance. We are all guilty of sin. We’re inherently selfish, both in small, subtle ways and in bold, dramatic ways. When we commit adultery or murder in our hearts, to God we’re just as guilty as those who are exposed and convicted of the same acts. At least, that’s what Jesus said.

“If we got what we deserve, then we would be stuck with ourselves, with no hope of change, no hope of forgiveness, no hope of eternal life in heaven. Just the torment of regret, the terrible loneliness of knowing that we got what we thought we wanted—to refuse God’s grace and be left alone. We would lose our souls to our own selfish pursuits.”

Craig goes on, “But, thank God, that’s not who we are. We are not animals but people, created with immortal souls, loved by God so much that he never gives up on us. Even when we get angry and hurt and rage at him. Even when we doubt from him.”

Now I like that kind of being unfair, don’t you?

He later says, “What if honestly acknowledging your doubts… is your first step toward building a deeper faith? What if embracing your secret questions opens the door for a maturing knowledge of God’s character?

“What if drawing closer to God, developing genuine intimacy with him, requires you to bear something that feels unbearable? To hear him through an ominous utterance, to trust him in the moment of doom, to embrace his strength when you’re weak with a burden? What if it takes real pain to experience deep and abiding hope?”

He is so different than anyone else, isn’t he?  When we are honest with some they run away.  They don’t want to get that involved.  But not God.  So, why not open up to him today, just trust him in your moment of doom, embrace his strength, open up to him about your real pain and then experience his deep and abiding hope?  Would you do that?

Yes, yes!