HOW TO DEAL WITH DISAPPOINTMENT (PART 7)

 

By: Rev. Jose Francisco C. Sauco
Bible Baptist Church, Pasay
jfcs04@yahoo.com

 

How do you get from the place of disappointment to the place of delight?

How do you get from this bitter experience where it’s all dry and there’s nothing to drink and you’re in the middle of the desert, how do you get from there to paradise, to easy street?

The answer is: You just keep on going. Keep on going! Moving ahead, trusting God.

Don’t stop living just because you are disappointed. Don’t let disappointment take away your joy in life. Don’t stop there. Move and keep moving.
Exo 15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Notice in this text it does not say God brought Elim to them. Notice that God knew exactly where Elim was and He knew exactly where His people were. But He did not say, “They’re over here and I’m going to do a little miracle and bring this oasis five miles closer.” God did not bring Elim to them.

They got there by keeping on going and not giving up in spite of their feelings.

What do you feel like giving up on?

You’re disappointed, discouraged. Where you are right now is pretty distasteful, bitter. You don’t like it at all. Maybe it’s your job. Maybe it’s a relationship. Maybe it’s a dream.

I have people come to me and say, “Pastor, I don’t feel like praying. I don’t feel like reading the Bible. I don’t feel like going to church. I don’t feel like tithing my money. I don’t feel like getting involved. I don’t feel like trusting. What should I do?”
Simple. You keep on praying. You keep on giving. You keep on serving. You keep on trusting. You keep on reading your Bible. You keep on going to church. “But my heart isn’t in it!” So what?

If you were to wake up tomorrow morning and call your boss at work and say, “I know that you want me to be whole hearted at work. You want me to give it my best shot. I just have to be honest with you. My heart’s not in it today. I really just don’t feel like coming in. Because I know you don’t want me to be a hypocrite, I think I’ll just stay home and watch tv today. I don’t feel like going to work, so I think I’ll cover up with a little cover and get a good book and take it easy, eat some potato chips and relax. When I feel like it, I’ll be back. Ok?”
What do you think will your boss say? “I don’t care how you feel. Get here and get your work done.”

The fact of the matter is, most of what gets done in the world is done by people who don’t feel like it. Maturity is living by your commitments, not your feelings.

One morning a man woke up and said to his mom, “Mom, I don’t want to go to church today.”
She said, “You’re going to church!” He said, “Why?” She said, “Two reasons: 1) You’re 45 and, 2) you’re the pastor.”
You just keep on going.

You may feel like you’re living at Marah. It’s bitter and distasteful and it stinks, and it’s hot and dry. Your needs aren’t being met. It is flat out a difficult situation to swallow. It’s no fun at all.

Maybe it’s a financial Marah that you’re going through. Maybe it’s an emotional bitter experience. Maybe it’s a physical Marah and you’re having to deal with constant pain. Maybe it’s a spiritual Marah. “I feel all dried up inside.”

You didn’t miss God’s will. Marah is on the map. God knows exactly where you are right now.
The issue is, How long are you going to stay there? God led them to Marah, even though Elim was only five miles away. They could have gone just straight there. He led them to Marah as a test of maturity.

(To be continued)