The book of Ecclesiastes presents a realistic, nuanced view of life in a fallen world — a life full of many wonderful pleasures, but one that is often marred with deep frustration. In it we find instruction on how we, as believers, ought to exercise godly enjoyment in our work, family, and the rest of creation–while finding ultimate meaning only in God (not his gifts). We learn that God is sovereign over this messy world, and that the guilty will not always go unpunished.
My latest Boundless article has been titled When Life’s Unfair. It seeks to unpack four aspects of life in a fallen world:
1. Bad stuff happens, and it’s not always caused (directly) by sin.
2. Don’t bother trying to figure it all out, because you can’t.
3. Instead, enjoy what God gives you, because you’ll soon be dead.
4. So fear God, and keep His commands, because a real judgment is really coming.
Here’s the opening:
Mike did everything right at his company, but lost his job and hasn’t been able to find a new one in nine months. His co-worker Tom is deceptive and manipulative, regularly taking credit for the work of others and angling for praise. A good schmoozer, he’s since been promoted. It sure seems that bad things happen to good people. Why do some of the godliest Christians experience the worst hardships imaginable — a surprise lay-off, years of joblessness, a mysterious illness, infertility, financial loss, the death of an infant — while some of the most corrupt people seem to have everything going for them?