Life is not fair!

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" - John 9:1-2

Many believe that sin and suffering are closely connected -- when we live for God, blessings follow, and when we sin, we suffer. In one sense, this is true, and suffering is a result of the fall (Genesis 3). However, we cannot make general assumptions about an individual's suffering. Many biblical texts deny the connection between sin and suffering, including examples from Job and the life of the Apostle Paul.

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

Dear Church, life is not fair. Let us not assume that all suffering results from sin. Sometimes we suffer for doing the right thing and wonder if God cares for us. When we suffer, let us look to the cross, where Jesus suffered for our salvation, and continue to follow Christ.