Feelings of unfairness arise from a self-important sentiment of discontent that damages individuals and society. Children display pride and distress when denied desires, often protesting loudly that circumstances are not fair, and adults model similar resentment that offspring learn and refine into more persuasive expressions of displeasure. Such sentiments trace back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve viewed God as unfairly withholding the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil after satan tweaked their pride. The prophet Elijah expressed discontent by implying that further service after his trials would be unfair, while Jonah displayed indignation at God's merciful sparing of Nineveh and later begged for death when a shade plant was destroyed. These attitudes correlate with adultery, theft, murder, and violence, as people justify sinful actions by perceiving slights or unfair lots in life, though not everyone responds with bitterness. In the Parable of the Talents, two servants used their gifts productively while the one with fewer talents produced only bitterness. Job, described as blameless and upright, lost his wealth, children, and health yet refused to accuse God of unfairness or cry foul despite overwhelming torment. In moments of vulnerability, satan exploits such feelings by filling minds with justified thoughts of inequity, as when he challenged God regarding Job and later ravaged his health with boils. Job maintained humility and faith, accepting both good and adversity from God without sinning with his lips. God knows individual needs and withholds what would not be beneficial, so acceptance of His decisions prevents the bitter root of discontent from forming. Satan, full of pride after his beauty lifted up his heart, broadcasts evil intents to turn people from God and presents evil attractively to deceive. Contentment remains rare and beneficial compared to common hurtful discontent, and proper perspective comes from measuring oneself by the Word of God rather than comparing lots with others.

Believing that one is not held to be equal with others within a community stirs resentments because people believe they are every bit as good as those they believe are being treated with more respect and deference than themselves. While it is true that God deals with us with fairness, men, despite their high ideals, often do not deal with each other in anywhere near an equal manner. Inequality and its fruit, discrimination, will continue to prevail as long as satan is the ruler of this world and mankind is dominated by its carnal nature. The spirit of this world produces hatred, contentions or rivalries, jealousies, wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, and heresies. Equal treatment of others is impossible as long as the minds of men are motivated by that spirit, which will always find ways of justifying discrimination on the basis of its self-centered drives. In addition to that, one must also consider that God's Word clearly reveals that He does not deal with all equally. Some are more equal than others even with Him. For example, He says, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated." Moreover, Jesus Christ did not treat everybody equally either. He deliberately chose only twelve apostles and devoted much of His ministry directly to them. He often took them and only them aside to explain things more perfectly. In addition, judgments made in the Old Testament by the God who became Jesus Christ show that He does not deal with all equally. For instance, He struck Uzzah dead when he put out his hand to save the ark from striking the ground after the oxen stumbled, when David was at least equally guilty. On another occasion God brought a severe punishment against all Israel, in which 70,000 men died as a result of David's sin. God continued to allow David to live. Christians will be hated with greater intensity in the not-too-distant future, and perhaps to our eyes it will seem as if God does nothing. They will be unfairly discriminated against in all manner of cases. The world will openly revile us, even though they do not know us personally and have nothing against us specifically except that we are Christians. We will be hated just because we are Christ's. Even now, some, despite being well qualified, cannot get a job simply because of their desire to keep the Sabbath. We are already feeling the unequal treatment. It will get worse. Equality in this world will ever be an unrealized dream. We must accept this reality as part of the cost of faithfulness to Christ.

Feelings of unfairness often arise when we compare God's work in our lives with His work in others. Such comparisons can rob us of peace, making us slaves to someone else's circumstances rather than to God and righteousness. When we question why certain challenges happen to us and not to others, whom we may deem less deserving, it reveals a misalignment with God's perspective. This indicates that He has more shaping to do in us. Like Peter, who was troubled by the perceived unfairness in the paths of fellow disciples, we must focus on our own spiritual walk rather than on what seems unjust in others' lives. Yielding to God's process, even when it feels unfair, is essential, trusting that He will make things right in His time. At times, being clay in the hands of the Potter involves challenges to our sense of justice that stretch our ideas of fairness to the breaking point. Yet, the wisest response is to let go and trust in His shaping, knowing that the end result will be worth every moment of discomfort.