VOICE OF TRUTH FOR TODAY
Dealing with Disappointment
Have you ever been disappointed when God didn’t show up the way you expected?
I have. I’ve experienced crushed dreams, unanswered prayers, and moments when what I believed was God’s will simply didn’t happen. It can be painful trying to reconcile what we believe about God with what we’re actually experiencing.
Sometimes we’re afraid to admit disappointment because it sounds unfaithful or “un-Christian.” But ignoring those feelings doesn’t make them disappear. Romans 5:3–5 reminds us that suffering can produce perseverance, character, and ultimately hope when we allow God to work through it.
I often think about Mary and Martha. When Lazarus became sick, they sent for Jesus expecting Him to come and heal their brother. Instead, Jesus waited.
And Lazarus died.
When Jesus finally arrived, Martha didn’t cover her pain with a spiritual cliché. She told Him plainly, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, NIV).
I love her honesty.
Jesus could have healed Lazarus before he died. He could even have raised him from a distance. Instead, He entered the exact place of their deepest disappointment—and there performed a miracle no one expected.
They wanted healing.
Jesus brought resurrection.
Sometimes we become so focused on what we believe God should do that we miss what He is doing. Faith requires releasing our expectations and trusting His perspective beyond what we can currently see.
Hebrews 11:1 calls faith confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Your disappointment is not your destination. Your story isn’t over. Bring God your honest feelings. Release the outcome you expected, and stay open to what He may be doing instead.
Sometimes our deepest disappointment becomes the very place where we encounter His resurrection power.
—
Excerpt from Voice of Truth Magazine
“Tea Time with Tina” by Tina Gallo