Handling Disappointment

It isn't very often that everything goes just as planned. In fact, these days you can count on things not going as planned and having to make constant adjustments as you go forward. So, how does one cope with disappointments, especially when they involve matters of faith and the Lord? What do we do when it seems like the Lord isn't coming through for us the way we thought that He would?

There is a great little book out called, "The Prisoner in the Third Cell" by Gene Edwards. It talks about John the Baptist. Even though John was a humble and totally committed servant of the Lord, surely he must have had ambitions and aspirations concerning what he was going to do for the Lord. But, once Jesus actually came on the scene and began His public ministry, John's ministry took a dive. First, he began losing his audience. Then his disciples started following another (Jesus). Soon after, he found himself in prison and lost his life. John's ministry was relatively short and it ended on a downward slope.

Along the way to the end, while John was in prison, he sent a messenger to Jesus to ask Him a question. Luke 7:18-19 "John's disciples told him (John) about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" John sent his disciples with this question after he baptized Jesus with water, after he heard the voice of the Father saying, "This is my son in whom I am well pleased" and he saw the Spirit descend upon Jesus as a dove. This was after John proclaimed to everyone that Jesus was the One, the Messiah, the One who was before Him and the One whom he was unworthy to untie his sandals. This was after John heard of all the miracles that Jesus was performing.

When we go through difficult times it can be very hard to see clearly or understand how things are working for good. In this case, John questioned his own faith and understanding of what was going on. Things just weren't going like John planned or thought they would.

Jesus' response to John's question ends with a very startling statement, Luke 7:21-23 "At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

"Blessed is the man who does not fall on account of ME (Jesus)." In other words, blessed is the one who simply hangs on to the faith that saved them and don't give up or quite when God doesn't meet their expectations. It isn't uncommon for God to do things His way rather than ours, after all, He is omniscient and we aren't. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," and not on the circumstance or situation. God is faithful and He will not fail us. His will is good, perfect, and pleasing, even if it is different than what we thought it was going to be. Never doubt what God is doing, and never forget that His will is good, perfect and pleasing. Keep pressing on, and NEVER GIVE UP!