Again, I observed this on the earth:
Ecclesiastes 9:11 NET
the race is not always won by the swiftest,
the battle is not always won by the strongest;
prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest,
wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning,
nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge—
for time and chance may overcome them all.
When you read the book of Proverbs, you can come away with the impression that if you do the right things and live according to wisdom, everything will turn out well for you. But, as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes discovered, it does not always work out that way. Sometimes, bad things happen no matter how hard you work and how good your life is.
The world we live in is not perfect. Bad things happen to good people, often through no fault of their own. Doing all the right things is no guarantee that success will come your way. You might be an ideal parent, but your child still ends up living a troubled life. You might take good care of your health, but still end up with cancer or some other devastating health issue. Life is just not fair.
It is tempting to think that as faithful believers in the Lord, he would protect us from the dangers of this world. But our experience tells us something else. Believers, even the most devout, suffer just as much as others, and sometimes more. We are not exempt from the troubles this world brings.
But we have a hope that the Preacher of Ecclesiastes did not know. This life does not end in the grave. We look forward to life in the Father’s house (John 14:2-3) as his dearly loved children (Col. 3:12), with every tear wiped away (Rev. 21:4). And that hope, along with the indwelling Holy Spirit, can sustain us now, even in those times when life is not always fair.
