I've been wall to wall with wonderful family events and writing deadlines. I'm pulling this one from the archives today, but hope it meets a need. Will be back on Thursday with a new post.
According to Mr. Webster, to disappoint means “to fail to satisfy the hope, desire, or expectation of.”
We speak of times of disappointment in sentences which begin with should have or could have.
I’ve found disappointment to be one of the most finely honed weapons in the arsenal of the enemy of our soul, because if we’re not watchful, disappointment can lead to a root of bitterness which can quickly establish itself in our lives. And bitterness is like a cancer, eating away all that’s good.
When disappointment leaves me protesting, “I didn’t know it was going to turn out like this,” I have to make a choice not to embrace toxic thoughts and choose to replace those thoughts with the truth of God's word.
I keep coming back to this quote, “Can it be that, that which seems to oppose the will of God actually is used of Him to accomplish the will of God? That which seems evil only seems so because of perspective, the way the eyes see the shadows. Above the clouds, light never stops shining.” —Ann Voskamp
Faith only begins to flex its muscles in times when the darkness settles in around us. In Peterson’s words, faith is “our handle on what we can’t see” (Hebrews 11:5).
Even in times of great disappointment, through faith, we can fix our eyes on Jesus. Whatever situation that left our hopes, desires, and expectations wanting, we trust will be used by Him for our good and His glory.
“…those who hope in me will not be disappointed” (Isaiah 49:23).
“We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!” (Romans 5:3-5 The Message).
“And hope does not disappoint us…” (Romans 5:5).