Disappointment – Year After Year
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. Psalm 55:22 (NKJV)
In the hill country of Ramathaim, Elkanah, a man who faithfully served the Lord, lives with his wives Hannah and Peninnah. Elkanah is a loving husband and would do anything to please his family. But a cloud of disappointment hangs over what seems to be a happy household. Hannah has endured years of disappointment because of her barrenness. Year after year, they have gone to the temple at Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord. Year after year, Hannah made her one precious request to the Lord (1 Samuel 1). The one request that remained unanswered. And year after year, she was disappointed.
Hannah’s disappointment led to great sorrow. There may have been many times when she asked, “Why, Lord? When, Lord?” But Hannah yielded to God’s sovereignty. She continued to pray and to trust because she knew God was loving and kind.
Learn From Me
We all face difficulties and struggles in life. We pray for them; we trust God to answer, but each time we are disappointed because the answers we are hoping for don’t come. We may, like Hannah, be praying for a baby, for our wayward children to come back to the Lord, for a promotion at work, for that business idea to take off, or other heart-wrenching issues. For that one break so that we can rest our weary souls.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
Jesus invites us to come to Him every time we feel that sting of disappointment. He invites us not only to find rest for our weary souls, but to learn from Him. He wants us to learn from Him so we can gain wisdom and greater insight into what He is doing through our struggles and disappointment. Perhaps He wants to open our eyes to see through His lens and understand what He has in mind for us. Perhaps the answer we are looking for will not come the way we have been hoping and praying for. Not in the way we expect? What if He wants to give us His good and perfect gifts (James 1:17) that fit His good and perfect plans for our lives?
God answered Hannah’s prayers by blessing her with Samuel. Hannah gave him back to the Lord so His perfect plans for Israel and ultimately for all mankind would come to fruition. When we come to Him and ask Him to show us His sovereign will for our lives, we will not be disappointed, year after year. We will yield to Him because we know our faithful, compassionate, kind and loving God will sustain us. He will give us His good and perfect gifts that will not disappoint.
Our disappointments are but His appointments. AW Pink
Reflection:
Are you willing to yield to our sovereign God so that He can give you His good and perfect gifts? He is faithful and will not disappoint.
Prayer:
Forgive me, Lord, when I allow disappointment to creep in because my prayers are not answered as I would like. Lord, I come to You. Help me gain wisdom and understanding. Help me to yield to Your sovereign will. Thank You for Your good and perfect gifts that will not disappoint. In Jesus’ name, amen.
