Disappointment in Christ
“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.”
Psalm 3:3 (NKJV)
Have you ever wondered why did Peter deny Christ? How could he? Could it have been that he felt the ultimate disappointment? He knew Christ was the Son of God, he knew He was the Saviour and yet He had been taken away…? Why did Judas betray Christ? Could he also have felt betrayed as Christ wasn’t unfolding to be the physical Saviour he expected? Did he then allow his disappointment to open the door to Satan?
Disappointment can come when our will is not aligned with the will of God. Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Nor is our timing in sync with that of God’s. 2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us…”
Unfortunately, to compensate this reality and try to make some sense out of it, we tend to want to blame someone: if we don’t get healed it’s because we lack faith; if we don’t get our way (whatever it might be) it’s because God doesn’t care! But listen to what God says in James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss…” Either way, it is not something to beat ourselves up about. If it were easy we would not be reminded to pray, “Thy Kingdom come”!
So next time our lives are not going in the direction we feel they should, instead of pointing the finger of accusation or beating ourselves up, why don’t we try reflecting on the poem Footprints in the Sand? Because when we see only one set of footprints, it is not abandonment, but God carrying us. Disappointment is not all that it may appear to be!
Prayer
Loving Father, help us to remember when we hurt that You understand and always love us. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Study by Jackee Brown
*The full version of footprints may be found here. http://www.wowzone.com/fprints.htm
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About the Author:
Jackee Brown is a member in the Worldwide Church of God UK Congregation in London.
Local Congregation:
Worldwide Church of God London
Indian YMCA Student Hostel
Mahatma Gandhi Hall
41 Fitzroy Square
LONDON W1T 6AQ
Meeting Time:
Saturday 2:30pm
Local Congregational Contact:
Martin Ryan
Phone: 07958 386944
Email: martin_ryan@wcg.org.uk