In a comic strip written by Bill Watterson, Dad said, “The world isn’t fair, Calvin.” Calvin responded, “I know, but why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor?”
If you are an addict – or are married to one – you can identify with that sentiment. Life isn’t unfair in your favor.
Author Sherrie Bourg Carter addresses this with three suggestions for turning “unfair” into blessings.
1. Fair is not a useful concept. Carter writes, “If you experience something you see as unfair and you can do something about it, you should. Allowing that cannonball to sit in your stomach only adds stress you don’t need.”
2. Viewing yourself as a victim doesn’t help. Carter continues, “This only keeps you stuck in the past and promotes a sense of powerlessness.”
3. Negative thoughts inhibit positive change. Carter concludes, “When you’re perceiving your experiences in a negative way, it is extremely difficult to move forward.”
Recovery Step: No, life is not fair. And yes, “It rains on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). But it’s what you do after you get wet that matters most.
