I am applauding you.
You have traversed the jagged terrain of our disappointment discussion and haven’t quit reading! Thank you. Although this is our final post in the series, it’s likely not the last time disappointment will cross our minds. I am so thankful for the journey.
The good news is that although God does strategically disappoint us and thwart our expectations, His ultimate plans for us are not for disappointment, but for fulfillment.
God does keep His promises, doesn’t He?
Remember our list of who God disappoints? Let’s check out the way the stories end…
- Abraham: After 25 years of disappointment, God gives Isaac. The child of promise is born, and God does indeed raise up a great nation. Every good word came to pass. Glorious fulfillment.
- Joseph: After 13-14 years of disappointment and unjust treatment, God does indeed bring his brothers to bow down before him. And God reveals His greater purpose: To preserve life. What was meant for evil, God uses for good. Glorious fulfillment.
- Moses: Though it was certainly a bumpy ride, God does indeed deliver His people from Pharoah, and does indeed deliver them into the promised land of milk and honey. Because of disobedience Moses sees the land from afar. But God’s people are delivered and they inhabit the promised land. Glorious fulfillment.
- David: After 13-14 years hiding in caves, God executes justice on Saul and indeed raises up David as king. Not only that, He establishes David’s throne forever, establishing the royal line through which Jesus Christ our King would come. Above and beyond what he could ever imagine. Glorious Fulfillment.
- Disciples: Yes, Jesus was dead and buried, all hope was lost. But on the third day He conquered death, rose again, and purchased the salvation of all who would believe. Glorious Fulfillment. The ultimate fulfillment.
Your story isn’t over.
Yes, God strategically disappoints us, even appearing cruel at times as He lets us grieve, alone, for four days like Mary and Martha. But His plans are always for fulfillment, for faith, to do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine. We may not see the end of the story until glory, but there is an end and it is fulfillment. And my experience has been that even here on earth God fulfills His good plans over and over and over and over.
Over and over and over because …
It’s a cycle.
The fulfillment cycle is what we jump into, by faith, when we finally get off the disappointment cycle. It goes like this:
FAITH –> EXPECTANCY –> FULFILLMENT –>
Remember how all expectation is fueled by fear? True expectancy is always fueled by faith. When we grow in faith we grow in expectations. And remember how God cannot bless our expectations because God cannot bless that which stems from fear? Well expectancy is fueled by faith and faith is what pleases God. God loves to fulfill His beautiful plans when our hearts are filled with childlike faith and true expectancy. He fulfills, which builds our faith, which creates even more expectancy, which leads to more fulfillment which builds our faith! See the glorious cycle?
And the sooner we get off the disappointment cycle the sooner we can get on the fulfillment cycle. And the longer we’re on the fulfillment cycle the more we can look back and know with resolve: God is faithful.
His past faithfulness demands our present trust.
Our present expectancy.
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Where have you already seen God’s glorious fulfillment in your life? Write it down! Remember. Recite. Recount. Do all the re-ing you can to command your heart to trust Him now. Today. If you have a pulse, He is still writing your story. This is good news!
{ Jeff and I are flying to London as we speak, and would covet your prayers for a safe and blessed time teaching God’s word and soaking up His grace. Thank you, friends, for journeying with me in prayer. We will, Lord willing, have fun pics and posts to share along the way.}