Isaiah and Life's Unfairness

In Elder Renlund’s address in this recent general conference, he spoke of “infuriating unfairness” that some experience in this life, much of which cannot be easily explained. He said, “For this man—and for many of us—suffering and brutal unfairness can seem incompatible with the reality of a kind, loving Heavenly Father. Yet He is real, He is kind, and He loves each of His children perfectly.” He further testified, “My heart aches for those who face such unfairness, but I declare with all my aching heart that Jesus Christ both understands unfairness and has the power to provide a remedy.” He used the words of Isaiah to help us understand the Savior’s devotion to us: “Jehovah asked, ‘For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?’ As unlikely as it is that a loving mother would forget her infant child, Jehovah declared that His devotion was even more steadfast. He affirmed: ‘Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. … Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.’” No matter what we experience in mortality, the Savior “empathizes perfectly with us. He is always aware of us and our circumstances.” Elder Relund offered us hope through the Savior with these words: “In mortality, we can ‘come boldly’ to the Savior and receive compassion, healing, and help. Even while we suffer inexplicably, God can bless us in simple, ordinary, and significant ways.”

               I was impressed by the fact that Elder Renlund used multiple verses from Isaiah to highlight this fact that the Savior offers us “compassion, healing, and help” through the unfairnesses of life. In addition to the above witness of Isaiah that the Savior has graven us on the palms of His hands, in the footnotes Elder Renlund referenced four powerful passages from the Old Testament prophet: 

·        “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

·        “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

·        “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even will I carry, and will deliver you” (Isaiah 46:4).

·        “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:1-3).

I love these words from Isaiah. No matter what unfairness we face, the Lord has promised to be with us, to strengthen and help us. When we pass through symbolic waters of difficulty, He will accompany us and won’t let the problems overwhelm us. When our trials seem like fire, He promises to not let the flames burn us. And no matter how old we get, He will continue to carry us and deliver us out of struggles. He will bind up our wounds, free the captives, comfort those who mourn, and offer beauty and joy where there is heaviness and mourning. Of course, the fulfillment of these covenants are contingent upon our keeping the covenants we have made with Him, but as we do so we can find compensatory blessings from Him for all unfairness that we face in this life.