The Price of Disappointment

The Scriptures tells us hope deferred makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).

Deferred means drag or delay. How many prayers for our loved ones seem to drag on for years with little or no evidence of any positive change? In fact, it seems that relationships only go from bad to worse. Still we cling to the promise that God heard us the first time (so long ago) and will act as He so determines. Other times it appears that a portion of our prayers are answered while other important pieces seem delayed or even forgotten over time.

The price of disappointment is a sickened heart often weighed down by layers of unbelief. It's those layers of one frustrating moment after another that makes us weary and even suspicious of any good thing that might happen. Many efforts are made to bring about our own answer but it fails. Prayers are shouted and whispered. We almost become a pagan babbling and muttering in a repetitious fashion in hopes that God will move on our behalf.

Then there's that terrible wall of silence. No resounding voice from heaven. Even the hissing of the devil seems to have stopped accusing us - which is another tactic - as if to say we are all alone. God has abandoned us to our own devices. The Psalmist says in his time of greatest need his prayer returned to his bosom (Psalm 35:13). It's a terrible thing to to hear the sound of your own voice praying words that seem shallow and lifeless. Gone is any passion and longing in believing God is listening (or even cares to listen).

Beloved, when the waves of disappointment mount and threatened to drag us into the deep sea we have to remember Jonah's prayer. He said, "To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple." (Jonah 2:6-7 NIV).

Even in the deepest and darkest pit of despair, we must believe God will help us. He alone can lift us up and out of the miry clay and set our feet on a solid rock (Psalms 40:2). Remember faith is not measured by what we see or understand in the natural. Often times God works quietly and behind the scenes - He's working all things for our good - even when we see no evidence to our prayers.

Lord, refresh our hope in the promises that You are for us and not against us. Help us to be at rest when our souls are frantic to see and understand when things don't go well. You are in control. You are sovereign. You care for us. The love You have for us will not change and nothing can take us out of your hands. Restore unto us once more the joy of our salvation! With such joy, break every chain in the name of Jesus from the spirit of dread, despair and despondency that weighs us down! Let your light so flood our souls that no darkness can cloud our vision and steal our strength. Amen.