Why do some of us die without ever getting what we want?

[Petros2015]

I want to put bluntly that life is not fair and sometimes people even die without ever having got their way in this world.

This is quite often true.
What's even worse, sometimes people even die without ever having given God's way in this world.
Often, without ever even trying.

I do trust that God will 'settle accounts' as it were. Be faithful with a little, and I will give you a lot, was often said. Some people, perhaps, see some of that in this life. Some fight to get it on their own terms, one way or another.

I do know this - if I had 'got my way' in this world, I don't think anyone would have said 'thank you'.
So, I asked God to change my way, because it seemed like that was what he wanted to do. He did. And for that I said 'thank you'. And some others have too from time to time. "treasures in heaven" as it were vs. "the wages of death".

He also said something to the effect of, to whom little is given, little is expected vs to whom much is given from whom much would be expected. Some are born in poor health to poor families or position, others not so much. I don't have a good concept of what it's like - I've never gone hungry a day in my life vs some who perhaps have never had a full belly in theirs. Every now and then I meet a believer who is homeless or perhaps mentally challenged but has the Faith and the Spirit. "Be good to this person," I think. "The next time you meet, they may be wearing King's robes, and you may be the pauper". The Christ I know from scripture loved the Meek.

It's not fair by human standards, but human standards are limited to human lifetimes. We don't know what awaits us, but I do believe we will find fairness as well as mercy, justice and fulfillment. I suspect that what we are doing here is 'practicing for the real work to be done'. The one thing I don't expect an afterlife to be is boring.

 

[gaara4158]

Why would you expect life to be fair?

 

[public hermit]

I agree. All too often, life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" (Hobbes). As for eternity, it seems to me either God is good and there is hope, or there is nothing but emptiness. We don't get to decide which it is. We can only search and hope the object of our faith obtains. We are thrust into this world without our asking, and we cannot escape without going forward with some kind of faith. One has faith in God, another in self, another in the hope that nothing will swallow us up forever. Faith is inescapable. Even if we decide not to go forward at all, that too is an act of faith. Trust is inherent to contingent beings who desire. The great mystery, to me, is that in the midst of this great unknown I have experienced goodness, beauty, compassion, wonder, and joy. And that has been enough to convince me that it is not a mistake. Am I right? Maybe we'll see.

 

[Monksailor]

Life IS unfair. Jesus would even appear to be unfair to you by your reasoning. Read the parable of the workers in the vineyard: Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 20:1-16 - New International Version

 

[bèlla]

I think context affects our perspective. Whether we’re sitting high or low. I could argue the fairness of becoming ill in my twenties. But I’d need to balance that against the benefit of being cared for at a world class facility with preventive treatments that reduced my dependency on medication and their long-term effects.

How would I justify the healing that followed years later when others haven’t received the same? What makes me more deserving than them?

I could posit the unfairness of my singleness and single parenting. But I’d be hard pressed to garner sympathy for early retirement (in my 30s) when most are working.

If I bemoaned never having a home with a picket fence, I’d need to admit I chose to live downtown with a 10 minute commute. And I don’t own a car because everything is accessible by foot.

And if I felt out of place because I wandered from God and practiced other faiths. I’d have to ignore my deliverance, restoration, and receipt of my calling that enables me to earn a living serving Him.

I’ve discovered over time that my desires are never better than His. His plan is best. There are instances when I believed I wanted something...felt I needed someone...and I was wrong on both fronts.

To an onlooker my life is easy. And it is. But that wasn’t always the case. I learned contentment long ago and count my blessings.

The thing that keeps me grounded are three simple truths:

Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. —Matthew 13:8

I’m looking for a hundredfold harvest. I have to put in the work and follow Him. He’ll determine the spoil.

Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. —Luke 12:48

I don’t have the liberty of inactivity. My blessings have an intended purpose beyond my comfort.

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. —Matthew 25:28-29

I am fastidious about using what the Lord has given. I make copious use of my gifts and talents and built a lifestyle devoted to that purpose. He has given much and I’m expected to use it.

My approach is relational servanthood. He planted me in specific places, situations, and with certain companions. It’s my responsibility to view this in a kingdom context and discern how they’re sanctifying and helping me fulfill my purpose.

You can only do that when you take your mind off yourself or your neighbor. You have to put it where it belongs. Looking up is the answer.

~Bella

 

[com7fy8]

I want to put bluntly that life is not fair and sometimes people even die without ever having got their way in this world. It's just not fair.

God cares about why we want something.

There are things that can not love us.

 

[Joey Arnold]

The meaning to life involves seeking after what we want and need. But sometimes, people die before our time perhaps because of freewill.

 

[St. Helens]

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[Clizby WampusCat]

I believe God will fulfill all our desires in the afterlife.

Why not now?

"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Mt 21:22

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." Jn 15:7

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." 1 Jn 5:14-15.

"And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." 1 Jn 3:22

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mk 11:24

This next one causes a lot of emotional pain.
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16

 

[pc_76]

I'm sorry that I come off as cranky or unpleasant to people on here, but I have my struggles.

 

[MehGuy]

I think most people don't get what they want.

Growing up I used to be totally absorbed with the notion that life isn't fair. The idea of slavery and innocent people rotting in prison was heavily imprinted in my mind. Unfortunately I developed a mindset that life was especially unfair to me. I think it was a mix of my masochistic psychology and my Christian upbringing. There is a an idea in some Christian circles that the worst off you are in life, the more spiritually higher and mature you are. I found that mindset very appealing. Feeling like you're on the bottom also makes it easier for one to engage in attacking others with little guilt. There is definitely a sadistic appeal to being obsessed with life not being fair.

As an adult and just recently, I've warmed up to the idea that life doesn't have some agenda against me. I have some problems in my life, but also some blessings. There are plenty of people who would be incredibly overjoyed to be in my shoes, even if I personally haven't been properly grateful for what I have.

Although it's a daily struggle not to fall back into my old mindset. Ironically the more aware I am that life isn't against me the more depressed and numb I become.

 

[durangodawood]

Let me....

 

[Nancy Hale]

I want to put bluntly that life is not fair and sometimes people even die without ever having got their way in this world. It's just not fair. God and his creation of the rules of operation and their consequences in this world is not fair. I have this thought a lot myself and I'm not the only person. Even after we die, it doesn't end for eternity and we are still bound to the rule and will of this celestial king. We can never seem to avoid it. We only have the two choices for eternity given for us.

I'm in a kind of heated mood typing this right now. It can be hard to type sometimes. I don't want to hear about how I should "get right" in this thread right now.

Thank you.

What if you got what you wanted and found out you detested it? Because that happened to me before 30, and it really sucks.
Sometimes what you want, isn't what you think it is. While I was scrambling trying to figure out something else I could do, I fell into something I never would have thought of and it was perfect.
It could be there is something better.