Why does it seem that things are going so well for my brother even though he doesn’t have God in his life? He has a stable job, enjoys his time going out with friends and has found a life partner (albeit a non- Christian), while I spend most of my free time on church activities and have yet to find a life partner. It seems unfair to me.
Li Ping says
Dear Alice,
Your sentiment of woe that those who do not know God seem to be doing well has been expressed by God’s people through the ages. As Jeremiah laments, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?” (Jeremiah 12:1b NIV) You have discovered the difficult truth that knowing and serving God does not guarantee a particular desired outcome, such as finding a life partner.
At the same time, Scripture encourages us not to deny our desires, but to commit them to God instead. While I commend the whole of Psalm 37 to your meditation, allow me to highlight two verses:
Verses 1 and 2 says not to be envious of those who do not have God because they will soon fade like grass. Your brother may seem to be doing well now, but this may not be the case in the final analysis. What about his eternal destiny?
Verse 4 speaks of delighting yourself in the LORD and trusting him to give you the desires of your heart. This means delighting in your relationship with him and his love for you, and serving him out of gratitude, rather than obligation. It means being willing to entrust your desires to him and allowing him to refine them and give you what he knows you need and most deeply desire.
