Confessions of Hope: The Unfairness of Life

Like everyone else, I have been deeply troubled by the swath of death and destruction left by the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. Devastating. Though some undoubtedly ask God, “Why?” (a question I have often wrestled with), I am resolved to the fact that there are often no good answers to that question. Certainly, the blame game has already started. Some may say it was the gays or abortion or Muslims or Obamacare.

Still others may point to global warming and the increased volatility of the weather. And maybe, those who still remember chaos theory (I do have a masters in mathematics!), may blame the butterfly in Sydney, Australia (you’ll have to email me if you actually get that reference).

But here’s the thing. Sometimes life just sucks. Perhaps we can call it the Unfairness of Life, for there are things that happen that we have no control over. Stuff happens, sometimes good, sometimes bad. And that’s life.

Marcus Cole played by Jason Carter

I recall an episode of Babylon 5 where these two people are struggling with this very problem of why bad things happen to good people. And they’re talking about it, and Marcus says a very profound thing. He says, “You know, I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, wouldn’t it be much worse if life were fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them? So, now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe.”

Indeed, if we really got what we deserved in this life, we’d be in trouble.

And yet, it is my faith that comforts me, my faith that assures me, my faith that propels me to offer compassion.

And I pray. I pray for healing and life, comfort for the grieving, relief for the hurting, peace for the troubled in Spirit. I pray with thanksgiving for the outpouring of love and support. I pray, because at some moments in my life, it is all that is left to me.