Thursday, February 21, 2013

Delight in Disappointment

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5

Disappointment and I know each other pretty well. I have not had what you call an easy life, and I am no stranger to trials, sadness, and struggles. Most of you know I have been battling two brain tumors for a while now. These tumors caused most of my hearing to go which was a shock and one I am still dealing with and it has been a year and a half. I went through radiation last summer, making me super fatigued, depressed and my hair disappeared. The radiation will continue to work in my brain for 2 years and the hope is that they will drastically reduce the tumors.

Today, I had scans done to my brain to track the progress of the radiation and much to my disappointment; they appeared to me as no change. The doctor said they were indeed shrinking, just at a very slow rate, much slower than we had hoped for. I started to cry, and fear and discouragement filled my body. Then I started to ask questions in my head. If there is no change now, will there ever be? Did I go through the last year with radiation and all that fatigue, stress and hair loss for nothing? If the tumors don’t shrink will I ever get my hearing back? Will they really continue to shrink over the next 18 months or is this it? Why are they not shrinking faster, am I doing something wrong? Why are you doing this God?

I was distraught, then I talked to a friend and they reassured me that it was not all for nothing. My walk in the Lord has grown so much in the last year and the friendships with several people have deepened as well. And the scans did not show they were not shrinking at all, just very slowly. That means that they are shrinking, just not at the rate I WANT, but maybe it is the rate God wants. If I don’t get my hearing back, then I can still praise God, after all losing my hearing has brought me closer to God. I knew all this I was just clouded with emotions; I needed someone to help remind me of what I say to myself and others in times like this. No matter what happens in this life, I still have hope in God and this hope will never let me down. 

Disappointment comes from lost hope, unfulfilled desires and expectations. I was hoping that the scans would show more improvement and when they didn’t it was not what my desire was and so I became sad and upset. I lost sight of the fact that God is directing my life. Two of my favorite verses are Jeremiah 29:11 (“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”) and Proverbs 3:5-6 (Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.)

God knows the bigger picture and He is in control, which is why I can always put my hope in Him. I have hope that He will provide what I need to sustain me through happiness and trials. I have hope that He will always have my best interest in mind even when I can’t see it. I have hope that He will never leave me or let me down. I have hope that He has saved me and that I will live with him forever in Heaven. I have hope in Christ!

If I look back, God has used every trial and disappointment in my life as a way to reach me and bring me closer to Him. I just need to have faith and put my trust and hope in Him. If we let them, our disappointments can be God’s appointment!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the God of hope. I know You love me so much and that this disappointment I feel at times is really Your way of protecting me, providing something better, or just part of the process of growing me more like You. So I praise You for the good that is wrapped in this disappointment and that my eyes remain opened to see that good in the midst of trials. Let me allow You to work in my life the way You desire Lord, not what I want. I pray that You please strengthen my faith and fill me with the hope that can only be found in You. I praise and thank You Lord. In Your precious name, Amen.
Never heard this song, but it fits quite nicely

And I couldn't forget the classic hymn that says it so wonderfully as well

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