Yesterday I was faced with an unexpected disappointment. What would've been the highlight of my day turned very quickly to a major let down.
It wasn't this particular disappointment that crushed my spirit so much. It was that this disappointment was just one more disappointment, and I wondered if someday things would be different. Was it always going to turn out like this?
I did my best to be brave and put on a good face, but underneath, I was sad about what I'd discovered that day. I came into my room and poured out my heart to God about my disappointment. I shared with Him my hurt and pain, and I also was real about me wondering if I'd ever find someone who, although isn't perfect, is godly and faithful and will love me.
As I cried out to God, I knew He had drawn near to me and was holding me close to Him assuring me that He will never leave me or forsake me. He will never let me down. He continuously reminded me of Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."
In my disappointment, I found comfort from the ultimate Comforter. I found that all along He was hiding me under the shadow of His wing.
I recently wrote a devotional called "Keep On Praying". In that devotional, I shared how I realized one day that I had stopped praying too soon. Once I realized this, I didn't give up praying the next time. It was this particular situation I had been praying about. I told God that until I felt released from praying about it, I wouldn't stop. I was very tempted to after about three weeks and not seeing anything, but finally yesterday I thought my prayer was answered. It actually was, just not the way I hoped.
I'd been praying because I was hopeful it was God's will. I was hoping for the best, but discovered the worst. Were my prayers in vain?
The good news is that they weren't. I believe those prayers were a way God was invited into this situation, and I believe they enabled Him to intervene. What I found out was very disappointing, but thankfully I didn't have to find out the hard way. As Psalm 91:4 says, God covered me with His feathers and made His wings my shelter. He protected me all along, and I didn't even know it.
Are you facing a major disappointment? Are you at a point of wondering if it always turns out this way? If so, you're not alone. However, I want to encourage you to find shelter under God's wings. Realize that God is close to you in your brokenhearted state and is longing to be your comforter. He wants to rescue You. Sometimes rescuing us isn't removing us from our difficulties and disappointments; it's simply walking with us through them.
Don't give up hope. If you're facing what seems to be just one more disappointment, please don't think it's the end. Continue to hope that one day your weeping will turn into joy. All the times you were left with disappointment was just a stepping stone to the wonderful things God has ahead for you.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Yesterday what I thought was going to be such a huge blessing turned into a huge disappointment. I realized that I didn't know the big picture, and when I found out the big picture, my spirit was crushed. However, in the midst of my disappointment, You drew near to me and made me realize that You were there all along. You were protecting me, and I just didn't know it. God I believe You have a good plan for my life, and the disappointments I face are not the end of the story. They're just proof that You have something better waiting up ahead. Please help me not give up hope. Let my hope be founded in You so that no matter what my circumstances look like, I will not be shaken. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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