DISAPPOINTING CIRCUMSTANCES

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. - Og Mandino

Yesterday I spent some time on the phone with a colleague.  He is a great guy.  He is a passionate advocate for those in recovery.  He is also a somewhat new believer in and follower of Jesus.  Sadly though, he had become a little disillusioned with his “church” and its perceived apathy toward those folks suffering in substance use challenges.  So disillusioned in fact that he chose to step away from his church.

He called me confused and troubled.  He was/is deeply unhappy; unhappy with the church, himself and his circumstances.  He still feels drawn to the recovering community but was struggling with where he and now his FAITH fit.

And as we unpacked his feelings and his hurt, the LORD reminded me to tell him that HE WAS THE CHURCH.  The LORD reminded me to tell him that his capacity to serve and share the love of GOD was not tied to or limited by bricks, mortars or pews.  That his PASSION to give, his PASSION to serve, his PASSION to walk with the hurting, and his HEART were STILL very much alive and beating.

The Lord moved me to remind him that disappointment is temporary and not to allow his recent challenges to morph into discouragement.  The enemy would want nothing more than for this frustration to remove him from the fight.

And finally, the LORD reminded me that the QUICKEST cure for his state of mind and his circumstance was to FIND SOMEONE to SERVE; someone to BLESS. (Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25 (ESV)

You see my friends’ heart for the hurting was still very soft and still seeking to serve.  And with just a little resetting and a little encouragement, I helped him to remember that while church’s attitudes can change, that while programs come and go, Jesus doesn’t. (Hebrews 13:8)  THAT it was JESUS who he was SERVING as he SERVED. (Matthew 25)

I also encouraged him to pray for those who had hurt him to guard against bitterness. (Matthew 6).

All of us have had those moments when we have been disappointed by folks and circumstances we didn’t expect.  And I would venture to say that all of us have felt the kind of hurt my friend has felt.  Yet we can never lose our focus.  We must remember to forgive.  We must remember WHO we are serving and get back to it! And most of all to never allow our disappointments to create discouragement and pull us away from our calling. 

I am glad to report he is back in game today, trusting GOD and continuing to serve.

Charles Stanley said it this way, Disappointment is inevitable. But to become discouraged, there's a choice I make. God would never discourage me. He would always point me to himself to trust him.

That is good counsel for ALL of us!

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE