Reading the book two decades after it was published gave me an
opportunity to look back. One of the things that struck me is that Schuller
wrote of the fall of the Soviet Union
soon after it occurred. He had high hopes for Russia and the
other countries shifting toward a more democratic
form of government.
He looked forward to flourishing Christianity,
greater freedom, wealth,
and opportunity for long oppressed people. I’m not sure what he would think of
the current state of affairs, especially in Russia, but clearly fall short of
the hopes he expressed.
The book also prompted me to recall the Hour of Power. A routine segment featured Schuller interviewing
someone, recorded live before the congregation of his church. Though it is not
mentioned, I suspect many of the interviews recounted in the book may have come
from the show. These guests were often famous performers, athletes, and
politicians. Others were people who overcame troubles of all sorts, handicaps,
injuries, financial setbacks, abuse and losses. The common thread through these
interviews was how people succeeded through faith in God’s grace, hope,
positive outlook and persistence.
Speaking of themes, I should say something about the book. The title
expresses the theme: Life’s Not Fair, but
God is Good. Schuller concedes that sometimes life sucks. Bad things happen
to everyone, and sometimes the worst things happen to those who seem to deserve
it least. In spite of that, people can lead lives of purpose and joy because
God is good. The Great Redeemer can man something beautiful out of the ugliness
of life. Not only can He, He will.
I suppose the meat of the book is advice on how to live in the gap
between the unfair circumstances we experience and the awesome goodness we can
know even in the midst of them. In this, Schuller presents a mix of Christian philosophy
and self-help
positive thinking. We can’t always choose our circumstances, but we can choose
our reactions. Schuller encourages hopeful, positive responses based on the
acknowledgment of God’s goodness. Prayer, belief, gratitude,
good works, humility, forgiveness, connection to others, generosity, patience,
and vision are tools we have, or can develop, to be overcomers in the face of
obstacles. We master these skills under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit
as we get to know Christ
better.
Robert H. Schuller also wrote Self-Love.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
This Year I Will… by M. J.
Ryan
