WHEN JESUS DISAPPOINTS
I don’t know about you but there have been times when I feel like Jesus has disappointed me, I felt let down. I have prayed for things and they have not happened. I have obeyed what he has told me expecting certain results but it did not work out the way I anticipated.
Phillip Yancey writes in his book "Disappointment with God,"
“Disappointment with God does not come only in dramatic circumstances. For me, it also edges unexpectedly into the mundaneness of everyday life … I have found that petty disappointments tend to accumulate over time, undermining my faith with a lava flow of doubt. I start to wonder whether God cares about everyday details — about me. I am tempted to pray less often, having concluded in advance that it won't matter. Or will it? My emotions and my faith waver. Once those doubts seep in, I am even less prepared for times of major crisis.”
DISAPPOINTMENT IS THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE EXPECT AND WHAT WE EXPERIENCE
If you have been through a situation like this, had a prayer go under answered, a result go unseen then you are in good company.
SO WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD SAY ABOUT THIS?
WATCH THE VIDEO THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT NOTES
NOW WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS?
In Psalm 13:1-2 David says
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?"
We all deal with divine disappointment, John the Baptist did, the disciples did and so too will you at some point if not already.
There are a couple lessons we must learn as we walk through these moments.
In Psalm 13:5 David continues…
“BUT I trust..."
BUTS are important! They pull us up from spiralling down into depths
-
DETERMINE…TO TRUST
This is about redirecting your position with your will. This may not have worked out how I expected BUT I TRUST.
'I don't understand BUT', 'I had hoped BUT'
When we allow our emotions to determine our position we put ourselves in the midst of volatility.
2. DECLARE his goodness
This is about speaking truth over fear. God has already shown his love, has set you apart. Life can be hard, unexpected roads can happy..."BUT I trust..."
“…in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.”
Declaring his goodness, his unfailing love, salvation in him is not about denial but about recognising like John the Baptist had to that God has been, is and will be up to GOOD.
John wanted the military messiah but Jesus was healing, bringing freedom, setting captives free. John’s expectation was not wrong entirely just misplaced in terms of time. John would not taste freedom in the natural but Jesus was bringing about freedom supernaturally.
3. DIRECT … YOUR HEART
This is directing our emotions with position action.
“ I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.” Ps 13:6
This is not just a passive experience but active intention. David SINGS!
To determine our heart's position we often need to follow through with ACTION first.
Often our heart lags far behind the truth. Do something that lifts your head, that lifts your gaze towards heaven, that connects you into encouragement.
If you write, don't simply reflect internally, but declare goodness, break the cycle of defeatism with active defiance.
This is not about a denial of our feelings, of refusing to mourn but it is about refusing to believe lies about God, his actions and his attitudes toward us.
CONCLUSION
Maybe God has disappointed you. Maybe you wanted him to be something he is not. Maybe you have wanted him to do things he does not seem to act on, maybe God's timing is different from your desire. It is in these moments that his grace can be known as sufficient.
We must fix our eyes, minds, hearts and lives not on what is in front of us but everything God has stored up for us.
Paul, the Apostle encourages us
"...Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Determine to trust
Declare his goodness
Direct your heart