Regardless of our social, economic or religious standing,
we often feel disappointment throughout our lifetime. It is clear that
disappointment is no respecter of persons. We all foster expectations and we
hope to achieve certain goals, which never come to pass. We sink into the pits
of discouragement and flounder in the sea of despair. These negative emotions
are murder on our body and soul (Proverbs 13:12).
The alternative is to surrender our expectations to God
and to gratefully accept the conditions He allows to come our way. Then, we
will live in serenity. God has a perfect plan for each life and only in the
center of His will do we find perfect peace and contentment (Isaiah 43:1-2). Faith
in God’s faithfulness will provide us with inner joy and tranquility regardless
of our circumstances (Romans
5:3-4).
When we compare our issues with the life of those who are
persecuted for their faith, we gain a better perspective. When we prioritize
our life with our standard as eternity, our temporal issues are trivial at best
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Christians throughout the ages all faced discouragement (2 Corinthians 1:8-9); but authentic
Believers have no need to surrender to discouragement. God give us glorious,
indescribable joy (1
Peter 1:8).
A personal, intimate union with Christ provides us with
the protection, guidance, comfort and strength of the Lord (1 Peter 5:10; John 3:16).
As we submit to God's will, we realize that He is always in control (Ezekiel 38:4; Proverbs 21:1).
Nothing, which occurs in our life, surprises Him, because He already planned an
equitable solution for us (Romans 8:28). With
God on our side, nothing will ever occur without His knowledge (Romans 8:31-32).
He is actually greater than the spiritual forces of
darkness, which come against us (1 John 4:4). With Christ dwelling within us, our heart is no
longer anxious or frightened (John 14:27). We can count it all joy when we face various
trials and tribulation (James
1:2), because we see His hand working out everything to our advantage (Romans 8:28). The
seeds of the ultimate miracle within our suffering and disappointment end up
increasing our faith (Colossians
3:15).
Prayer:
Father God, our deepest sense of joy comes from a life
surrendered to You (Hebrews
13:5). An optimistic unbeliever can radiate a positive attitude in
negative circumstances, but they are still missing the joy and peace, which
only You can provide (Philippians
4:7; Ephesians 3:19). We are a witness to a lost and dying world of Your
protection and provision (John
16:33; Romans 8:28, 37). We gain strength in our weakest times from the
presence of Your Holy Spirit within us (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). At the center of Your will, we find
deep and lasting peace (Isaiah
26:3).
Thought for the Day:
Anyone, who is born of God and believes in His Son,
has His faith dwelling within us, helping us to overcome the negative issues in
the world. - 1 John 5:4-5
