Things Too Wonderful

Disappointment is not sin.

Definitely not.  It is hope deferred, which the Bible says ‘Makes the heart sick’ but it is not sin.  Which of us doesn’t get disappointed once in a while?  We live in a fallen mess up world and bad things happen and sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers in the way we expect (or hope) and we are bound to get disappointed once in a while.   We don’t like to admit it, because, well we just don’t,but sometimes even as Christians we can get disappointed the way life is working out;

• Why am I not married?  I’ve waited so long for the right person?
• Why did that relationship fall apart?
• Why am I stuck in this dead end job?  I have so much more in me?
• Why can’t I have a baby?
• Why am I so lonely?

I was looking through the Bible the other day for examples of people in the Bible who were disappointed and how they dealt with it.  I didn’t actually find anyone who was described as being disappointed… but I found many people who must have been through periods of disappointment during their life and ministry.

• Joseph must have wondered what was going on during the long years he spent in jail
• Mary, the mother of Jesus must have felt a little put out when she arrived at Bethlehem to find ‘no room at the Inn’. About to give birth to the Son of God, couldn’t one of the angels have reserved her  room at a B&B?
• Mary, the sister of Lazerus was disappointed that Jesus didn’t arrive in time to heal her brother.  In fact she was so fed up she wouldn’t even go out to greet Jesus when he did arrive four days ‘too late’.

Of course, we read the whole story when we read the Bible.  Joseph’s long years are covered in a few verses.  We know the end of the stories.  We read with the expectation of a happy ending.  We don’t always see the months or years of disappointment and heartache and crying out to God that they went through between verses six and seven.  We know that Joseph was vindicated and got the top job, we know that Mary was okay in that stable and God had His reasons for it, we know that Jesus had resurrection plans for Lazerus.

And I did say to God, in the middle of my Bible study, “But it was alright for them.  It all worked out okay in the end”

And His reply came clearly by return: ‘But you’re not at the end of your story yet.’

And we’re not.  Life might be very difficult right now.  We might wonder what on earth is going on and where God is in it all and it might be very difficult to envisage a happy ending.  It will come.  A happy ending is assured for every Christian.  May not be on this planet.  But one day we will stand before His throne where every tear is wiped way and live happily ever after.

 I must admit, I’d rather have my ‘happily ever after’ right now.  But I’m trusting God.  His timing is perfect.  Our breakthrough will come.

And so will yours.  Keep hoping.  It’s the antidote to disappointment.

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