Life Isn't "Fair"

So many times I hear someone say, "Life isn't fair" or "That's not fair"!

When I was teaching 4th grade a few years back, I had quite a few students that would constantly say, "That's not fair!"  I had finally had enough.  I set them all down and talked with them.  Basically my point I made very clear was that they didn't want "fair".  What's "fair" is that we pay the penalty for our OWN sin...what's "fair" is that we spend eternity in a lake of fire because that's what we deserve...THAT's what is fair.  However, God in His mercy and grace has given us a way out...Salvation through the shed blood of Jesus.  When you catch yourself thinking "that's not fair"...just remember what is "fair" and thank the Lord that He is merciful and gracious!

In college I attended Slater Baptist Church and while there the pastor gave an illustration that really stuck out to me.  He had brought all the ingredients to make a cake...flour...oil...baking soda...eggs...sugar...vanilla...etc.  He measured out each thing and poured them in a big bowl one by one...as he did he asked...who would like to eat the flour by itself (no one did of course)...who would like to eat the sugar (lots of people did)...until he had placed in all the ingredients.  He said...this is kinda how our life is.  Each thing that comes into our path is like an ingredient...some we like by themselves...some we don't.  However...once you put the "mix" into the fire (oven) the end result is something we all want...cake.  That is just like our lives.  We want God to work in our lives...we want the end result...but we aren't willing to put in all the ingredients...if we just had sugar and vanilla...what would the end result be?  NOT cake.  However...when God mixes both "good" and "bad" things in our life...and puts us "through the fire"...we get the real end result.  Something we want!
This illustration really stuck with me.  Many times in life there have been hard times...things I didn't understand or want...but I had to remember...God is using it for my good and His glory and in the end He will prevail.  So thankful for this visual reminder!

So many times we tend to focus on the negative instead of the positive...so today I'm going to share some of my "sugar" and "vanilla" -

None of these things I deserve...but God has been good and gracious to me!

1. Salvation from my sin
2. His Word
3. An eternity in heaven
4. A Christian family
5. A job
6. A bed to sleep in
7. A warm house
8. Warm clothes for winter
9. Lots of "littles" to love on
10. The ability to minister for Him
11. A church family that I love
12. Sisters
13. True Heart friends
14. A car that runs
15. Strength for each new day
16. Mercy
17. Food to eat
18. That I woke up healthy and able to face my day
19. Technology
20...and the list could go on and on and on...

Truly God's grace - unmerited favor!!

May I be thankful for the things He graciously gives me that are good...instead of focusing on my wants and desires.  May I remember to be grateful that life isn't fair!  May I constantly focus on God's mercy, compassion, grace, faithfulness, and strength!  God is good all the time!!

Maybe your life is "falling apart" right now?  Maybe you feel like you have no where to turn...you DO!  Turn to the One Who's mercy and grace are evidenced in your every day life - The God of the Bible!  He loves you!  He cares about you!  He has your best interest in mind!  He never promises you're not going to go through the valleys of life...but He does promise that you won't go through them ALONE!  Cling to Him!

Friends - Another Blessing of God's Grace

Definition of a friend - 1. a person known well to another and regarded with liking, affection, and loyalty;     

                         2. an acquaintance or associate

                         3. an ally in a fight or cause; supporter

Although I know it's true that God is ultimately the only one we need in our lives...I am thankful that through His grace He gives us people to walk down the paths of life with.  Tangible people to encourage us, walk with us, cry with us, challenge us to be more like Jesus!  These people are direct evidences of God's grace.

Each of us have faced hard things in our lives.  And I'm sure that you could name the people who walked with you through those hard things!  That my, friends, is God's grace.  God graciously gave you someone tangible to support you through the hard times.

Growing up kids have their best friends - maybe someone who sits by them at lunch every day...someone they can share their secrets with...someone that they enjoy spending time with.  As your interests, goals, paths change...generally your "best friend" does, too.  I know I can name my "best friends" in order...and I see how God used each of them in my life for a purpose at that exact time.  God graciously gave me the exact friend I'd needed for that part of life's path.  

God's grace has been shown to me most abundantly in my "true heart friends" over the years.  These friends are beyond "best"...beyond "hard time support"...these friends truly met me where my heart is at.  They have loved me, challenged me, cried with me, laughed with me...they have encouraged me on my walk with Christ.  These are/were the friends with whom I could share my true heart.  They didn't judge me...but helped me grow.  They knew my struggles...my deepest heart secrets...they knew my joys...and my sorrows...and most importantly they wanted more than anything for me to please our God!  These true heart friends are my sisters!

Today I have taken a look at many passages about friends ~  These are just a few I'd like to share with you.

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loveth at all times..."

        1.  Love unconditionally. That word ALL...doesn't mean sometimes...it doesn't mean when they are kind back to you...it doesn't mean when they show they have your best interest in mind...it means EVEN when they are "jerks"...even when they are selfish...even when they seem to not "care"...you are to love them!!  HARD...Trust me...I know.  I have been mistreated...I have had rumors spread about me...I have had someone care about everything and then one day treat me like a jerk...I've been there.  Friends are human...friends are sinners.  Love them...forgive them...treat them as Christ would NO MATTER WHAT. I'm preaching to myself here.  Selfishly I want to just hurt them back.  Treat them like they treat me.  But that is not what God would do...so each day...I pray that God would help me to be loving and gracious even to those who are far from kind to me.

Proverbs 18:24 "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly..."

           2. Be friendly.  Numerous times in my life I have had people complain to me that they don't have friends...generally I ask them to evaluate their own lives...are they going out of their way to be kind, loving, friendly...or are they seeking friendships for their own pleasure?  In order to have friends you have to be a friend...put their best interest in mind...love them...be kind to them...show them the love of Jesus...

John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

          3. Love sacrificially!  Are you willing to sacrifice for the good of someone else?  Are you willing to sacrifice your own wants and desires for the good of others?  

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "edify one another"

          4. Encourage each other.  Are you edifying and encouraging other believers?  We all have struggles..we all face things that are hard for us.  Maybe you have a friend that is in a dark point in their lives with "no where" to turn.  Maybe a friend is struggling with another relationship, their job, or any other struggle.  God has placed you in their life for a reason.  Bring them back to the truth of the Gospel.  I am so thankful for the many friends who have encouraged/edified me in this way.  They told me what I needed to hear...not what I wanted to necessarily, but what was best for me.  Be a friend who brings people back to God's Word...God's promises.

Proverbs 13:20 "He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

         5. Be wise and choose wisely!  The challenge from this verse is two-fold.  A. Who are you choosing to be your closest friends?  Are they ones encouraging you to be more like Christ?  Are they ones helping you to not sin, or "causing" you to sin?  Do you struggle with making right choices when they are with you?  Or do they help you make the wise choices? and B. What type of friend are you being to others?  Are you being wise?  Are you helping others please the Lord with all their hearts or are you being a stumbling block to their Christian walk?  

Being a good friend is hard...it's not easy...

May each of us thank God today for His grace in placing friends in our lives!

May each of us seek to choose good friends and be good friends!