February 6, 2025

THE FAIRNESS AND TIMING OF GOD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.

Acts of the Apostles 24:24-27 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Paul is in prison and is given the opportunity to share the gospel with those in authority. Paul tells them about “faith in Christ Jesus” and about “righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment.” Those are some powerful topics. Obviously, Paul was so persuasive in his presentation that it frightened Felix—but it didn’t move him to change.

It is possible to be moved emotionally but not intellectually. We feel guilty for our sin or behavior, but we don’t really want to make the hard choice to change the behavior. 

Felix kept inviting Paul to speak to them. The scripture said his motivation was he was hoping to receive a bribe. The motivation of Felix was wrong, he was not interested in improving his life are making a hard decision to live in righteousness and self-control. 

There are a lot more people that like in church and religion than are open to righteousness and self-control. These require hard decisions of behavior. It means we will not always go along with what the rest of the world thinks is the right thing to do. We will choose to obey God’s Word even when it is not popular or easy. 

As I read this passage, I noted that this went on for two years. And then when Felix was replaced Paul was still left in jail.

I can only imagine the thoughts of Paul. Why is God taking so long? Why am I not seeing any fruit in my ministry? Why has my deliverance not yet come? Has God abandoned me? I’m doing the right thing and saying the right words, but it doesn’t seem that God notices my suffering.

Life presents some big questions about fairness and the timing of God. Why was Paul allowed to suffer so much? Sure, he wrote a bunch of books in our Bible during his imprisonment. But did it have to take that long to get those written?

I am sure that Paul’s humanity struggled with the seeming injustice and delay in God solving his problems. 

As followers of Christ one of the biggest struggles we will face is with the timing and fairness of God. We think we have it all figured out as to what God should do—but He allows something else to happen. We see something we think to be unfair happen and wonder why God would allow that person to excel while we are suffering. 

There are not easy answers. We know that Scripture tells us we are to walk by faith and not sight. Perhaps we need that faith the most when life seems unfair, and God seems absent. 

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit help my faith to be strong in the struggles of life. Help me to trust You when it appears You aren’t doing what I think You should. Help me accept my present circumstances from Your perspective and not mine.

“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”