This article originally appeared on the Devotable blog on July 18, 2019. Read the entire article at this link or click below to listen to the devotional being read, with commentary by Devotable's founder, Landen Melton.
Dancing with Disappointment:
The Protection and Promise of Providence
as featured at Devotable
When was the last time you hoped for something and didn’t get it?
All of us know what it is to face disappointments in life. It hurts when things don’t work out the way we thought they would. Disappointment sours our stomaches, flutters our hearts, and pricks our minds. Some people can recover quickly from undesired outcomes, but others find themselves tempted to bitterness, anger, and despair as a result.
I was recently reminded how tempting it is to let dashed hopes dominate my countenance. But once the initial shockwaves settled, I turned to God in prayer and thanked him for leading me to a moment where my hopes and his providence collided. I recognized the opportunity for what it was: a chance to experience the bite of disappointment without my foundations being shaken. I already knew how to leap with joy through an opened door—now was the time to gratefully stare at a closed one.
Disappointment had struck. The decision was made. The door was closed and the time for testing fell upon me: would I worship the prospective gift or the providential Giver? Sometimes God uses the disappointments in our lives as divinely appointed inspections of our spiritual allegiance.
All of us know what it is to face disappointments in life. It hurts when things don’t work out the way we thought they would. Disappointment sours our stomaches, flutters our hearts, and pricks our minds. Some people can recover quickly from undesired outcomes, but others find themselves tempted to bitterness, anger, and despair as a result.
I was recently reminded how tempting it is to let dashed hopes dominate my countenance. But once the initial shockwaves settled, I turned to God in prayer and thanked him for leading me to a moment where my hopes and his providence collided. I recognized the opportunity for what it was: a chance to experience the bite of disappointment without my foundations being shaken. I already knew how to leap with joy through an opened door—now was the time to gratefully stare at a closed one.
Disappointment had struck. The decision was made. The door was closed and the time for testing fell upon me: would I worship the prospective gift or the providential Giver? Sometimes God uses the disappointments in our lives as divinely appointed inspections of our spiritual allegiance.
While we only see life in pixels, the Lord sees the eternal picture. He knows us intimately and calculates what’s really best for our eternal good. God doesn’t promise to always give us what we want, but he does promise to give us what will offer a long-term spiritual advantage.
Christine M. Chappell
Author/Writer/Speaker
Christine Chappell is the author of Clean Home, Messy Heart, the host of The Hope + Help Project podcast, and is a guest contributor at Desiring God. She writes frequently about motherhood, sin, and sorrow at her blog, has completed biblical counseling certificates with the Institute for Biblical Counseling & Discipleship, and is currently pursuing certification with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.
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