When Disappointment Strikes - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 26
When Disappointment Strikes
By Cindi McMenamin
Bible Reading:
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” - Romans 8:29 NASB
Have you been disappointed by a person or circumstance lately? Are you feeling that God has somehow not met your expectations when it comes to what you’ve asked of Him? Or perhaps you are saddened by the twists and turns of life that have left you in a place you didn’t expect.
When you and I experience difficulties, disappointments, and pain, we often quote Romans 8:28 (or a portion of it) about how God causes all things to work together for good. That verse does tell us that God can work for good all things in the lives of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And we at times imagine what that “good” might be that God is working toward, like:
God is going to make me happier through my difficult.
He’s going to clear up my financial difficulties through this disappointment.
He’s going to bless in numerous ways and that’s what I can look forward to in this present disappointment.
But rarely do we consider the next verse—Romans 8:29—when trying to determine why disappointments and difficulties happen or what the good might be that God is working toward.
In Romans 8:29, we are told how God causes all things to work together for good. That verse says, “For those whom He foreknew [those of us who are trusting in Jesus alone for our salvation], He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…”. In short, God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, because He is making us more like His Son through those things.
Any time you and I experience sorrow, we can relate more closely to Jesus, whom Isaiah 53:3 refers to as “a man of sorrows.” Any time you and I are disappointed or hurt or just needing comfort, we can experience the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God,” according to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV).
Intersecting Faith & Life:
During our uncertain times, our disappointments, our delays, and our losses, we can learn precious truths about the God who always has our best in mind. While He deals with each of us uniquely according to His knowledge of us, there are some commonalities I’ve discovered through the years when talking with people who are coming out of their season of disappointment or loss.
- He allows times of disappointment, discouragement, and loneliness to deepen our dependence on Him.
- He allows struggles to reacquaint us with His sustaining power.
- He lays it on our hearts to reach out to others during our struggles so we can experience through them His comforting hugs and encouraging words.
- He allows us to go through difficulty so we will know how to help others during similar times and, through those situations, become more like Jesus to those around us.
So, what is God doing when disappointment strikes in your life? He might very well be preparing you to become more like His Son through the refining and sharpening He wants to do in you. He may be preparing you to minister to others in a unique way, based on how He has ministered to you. He may be drawing you closer to Himself so that you can, in turn, reflect more of the character and person of His precious son, Jesus.
So you see, God makes us more like His Son through our difficulties and disappointments when we surrender them to Him and say, “Show me what You want me to see through this situation, God.” “Grow me into the person You want me to be through this disappointment, God.” “Help me to rely on You more closely than I ever have through this disappointment so that I can become more like Your Son.”
Further Reading:
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
For more on growing closer to God and others, see Cindi’s books: The New Loneliness: Nurturing Meaningful Connections When You Feel Isolated, and The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Khosrork
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Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!
Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
