Sunday Reflection: Divine Disappointments

 Pastor Ryan was on vacation so Pastor Mike gave the sermon today. He is the youth pastor at the church we have been going to since we moved here. He and his wife Susie (who I adore!) spoke on

divine disappointments. 

He started out by giving the definition of disappointment:

Disappointment

 The feeling of dissatisfaction that follows the failure of expectations or hopes to manifest. Similar to regret, it differs in that a person feeling regret focuses primarily on the personal choices that contributed to a poor outcome, while a person feeling disappointment focuses on the outcome itself.

There have been many times in my own life where I felt great disappointment.

 In my marriage

 in my finances
with my family

 in my personal goals...

As I sit here reflecting on the last 30 years of my own life, I  see how God uses the disappointments in my life for good. Places I didnt want to move to, turned out to be the biggest blessings. Lost jobs or opportunites turned into bigger and better opportunities. Financial troubles have drawn me closer to God and my trust in Him like no other situation could have. Physical disease and waiting for healing has taught me patience and compassion.

Sometimes disappointments in our lives aren't even for us. Sometimes God uses them to bring change in someone else...open up a way for God to work in someone elses life.

 Now thats a heavy thought.

Some disappointments are small and some are big. As I am writing this I am watching a funeral prosession go by my house. Disappointment is not even the word for whoever is on the other end of this loss. I have had many friends lose family members suddenly and people get cancer. I dont have all the answers to all the bad stuff this world can put out but I do know I serve and love a God who is only love. And some answers we will have to wait on to be revealed. But I do know one thing for sure.
If we had no hardship, we would need no God.

It has definitly taken me 30 years to understand that no matter what I see, God sees bigger.

He is the author of this story and I am here to make sure the credit goes to him.

I have set my thoughts on an expectation and been disappointed, but when I open my heart to him fix my eyes on him alone, He never disappoints me.

Disappointment is just a feeling we have when things dont go our way. But what is our way, anyway? But we can never be disappointed when we allow God to move in His way.When we make a choice to live in His space, in His will. Nothing could ever come between God and his love for us and no one could do a better job at writing this story.

One more day and I am 30!!!!!