By: Minister Gail Adams

Despite life's frustrations the just must live by faith.

Minister Robin Harris  posted a pictorial post in Google Plus today that said, "Life is not always fair but God is working to make something beautiful in the midst of your difficulties.

This message jumped out at me because my husband and I are experiencing the unfairness of life as a result of someone who having done a great evil to us have prospered much to our surprise😒 . Oh my, can you imagine how hard it was for us to not become agitated upon hearing about the good fortune of this evil doer. We all experience frustrations as it is a normal human emotion but not all of us deal with it well. 😔

After reading Robin's post I took a deep breath and went into reflection mode clearing my mind to allow the Holy Spirit to deal with me and in return I will share what I learned from him and use it to encourage my beautiful husband. After all that is what help meets do right? Below is what I received from Holy Spirit during my meditation and reflection.

For those committed to following the ways of Jesus, it’s very easy to get frustrated when we see people who are jealous, hateful and spread discord and division who create adverse circumstances against us prosper. They don’t care about God yet they seem to do well in life.

As an example, you work hard, get outstanding evaluations, yet the co-worker who does not work as hard and get average evaluations, get the promotion. Here is another example. You eat well, take care of God's temple pray and fast regularly, yet you are sick and the guy or gal who parties all the time are robust and healthy. If you’ve ever felt life is not always fair, you’re in good company. Observing these types of unfair life situations plays havoc on one's spiritual nerves. 😩

How can one deal with life frustrations?

First, we must accept that bad things do happen to good people. That does not mean God is not with you or he is against you. Job told us, "Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?" In other words, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man," we all are on an equal playing field. As with the good man, the evil man also experiences sickness and diseases. Similarly, as with the good man the evil man have days of plenty and days of lack. The Lord does not show favoritism. "He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous". (Matthew 5:45)

Remember that there is nothing new under the sun. The Prophet Habakkuk felt the same discouragement and frustrations during his time. Habakkuk fretted himself about the Chaldeans who were doing evil to good people yet they were prospering.

Habakkuk frustrated about the unfairness of life, confronted the Lord and said, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention". Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

His speech sounds a lot like our speech when we fret ourself because of evildoers; and become envious of the wicked when they prosper. What I love most about Prophet Habakkuk is even though he was very frustrated he did stop believing in God like most people do nor did he stop seeking an answer from God like most of us do.

The Prophet after voicing his heated frustration said, "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved". (Habakkuk 2:1) Most of us would be running in fear thinking God is going to harm us for speaking what is in our hearts.

But when you have a relationship with the Father like the prophet, you know his character. Understanding that he would be reprimanded by the Father and not destroyed by him he said, "What will I say when I am reproved by him." He shows us that we can tell God how we feel without fear of being harmed. That is because he knew God loved him. Likewise, you should know that he loves you too. So do not be afraid to tell him how you feel. Of course....... be respectful.

The Holy Spirit in his reproving helped me to deal with my overwhelming frustration with the unfairness of life by gently leading me to reflect on (Psalm 37:7). Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: do not allow yourself to become upset because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. This answer closely resembles what Prophet Habakkuk did.

What did I learn from my meditation and reflection from the Holy Spirit?

If you get upset because the wicked prosper then there will be many days of frustration ahead. This has been happening since the beginning of time. I will repeat what Solomon said again, "There is nothing new under the sun." We should not allow ourselves to become spiritually rotten at what we see in this world regardless of how unfair it is. A fretful, discontented spirit is open to many temptations it is in that moment of weakness that Satan can entice you to doubt God and renounce your faith. "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, 😫 choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." (Mathew 13:22)

By the way, God did answer Habakkuk? He said, "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." Whoa, that's it!! God through the Holy Spirit has answered me. Inhaling, exhaling, I am back on track. I was momentarily blinded by my frustration. But God reminded me who we are to him. We are just and we must live by our faith in Him despite what life brings.

God went on to tell Habakkuk that the Chaldeans would pay for their evil. The same applies to those who do evil today. Although God allows the sun to shine on all of us he also makes it crystal clear that the unrighteous shall pay dearly for their sins. "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:46)

Now it it time to share this with my beautiful Husband. I hope you were blessed by my time of meditation and reflection as I applied the word of God to help me make sense of our personal life trial.

Copyright: Gail Adams, Pamela Johnson, and Beaute Naturelle

My prayer always is that we continue to grow in grace, truth, wisdom and walk in love towards one another. Help others benefit from this truth by sharing this message! God bless you.