August 24 I Saturday

Psalms 116-118

1 Corinthians 7:1-19

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”   —Proverbs 3:5-6

Some of us may have known disappointment in the workplace, where we have gone into a new job or career with great anticipation and some excitement but before long it begins to wear out, goes pear-shaped and we are disappointed. Some of us may have gone into a relationship full of optimism, joy and prospect, but then it falls apart and we are disappointed. Some of us may live with ambitions and dreams and we have had them for years but as time goes on, they are not anywhere near fulfillment and we are disappointed.

Disappointment is probably a universal experience in some way or another. But the biggest and hardest disappointment to deal with is disappointment with God. When things that we have anticipated, things which we have believed, things which we sense are promised to us from God do not materialize, we find ourselves increasingly frustrated, disappointed and wondering if God is really active at all.

Jeremiah was probably one of the most disappointed characters in Scripture. He was called, equipped and sent by God. Jeremiah set off in his ministry with all the confidence from God, and yet, in 40 years of ministry and prophecy in Judah––before the Babylonian armies came and destroyed the nation––he never saw a convert, was never approved by anybody and had very few sympathizers.

Like Jeremiah, we may get tired, hurt, lonely, misunderstood and disappointed. But do not opt out when this is so, because if we ask the question, “where is God in all this?” the answer is He is not indifferent. The Psalmist tells us “Record my misery; list my tears on Your scroll––are they not in Your record?” (Psalm 56:8), or as the NKJV translates, “Put my tears into Your bottle.” Why does God put our tears in His bottle? Because our tears––our pain––is precious to Him.

We need to know that when we cannot see, God is doing something. We need to look at the bigger picture. Even though Jeremiah never knew what God was doing through his life, he had assurance that God had called him. We are where we are because we trust that God has put us where He wants us to be. We walk by faith and not by sight, which may mean sometimes we do not have direct guidance but simply trust that He is putting us in the right place, at the right time, for the right purpose. Our earthly disappointments are based on circumstances but when we know we are right in the middle of God’s will, regardless of outcome, God does not disappoint us.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for Your sovereignty over my life. Help me to cling to the hope that is found in You, even when I do not understand what I am experiencing in life.