HOPE IN DISAPPOINTMENT
Romans 5:2-6
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
It was fhe last afternoon of Linda's first trophy deer hunt in South Dakota. We had seen a lot of deer, but no trophy bucks and given us the opportunity for harvest. As light faded, I gave one last try at calling in a big buck. With a few minutes as could hear a deer walking up the valley below. It was a race between the big buck below us and the loss of daylight. Finally the buck appeared in an open lane, just 50 yards out. Through my binoculars I could see him clear enough for a shot. I told Linda to "take him". She said she couldn't see him through the scope, it was too dark. We went back and forth, with me saying "shoot" and Linda saying, "I can't see him". Eventually, the walk walked away and the hunt ended unsuccessfully. We were disappointed, to say the least.
Life is full of disappointments... Period!
Those verses and that statement says it all... We "rejoice in our suffering" and, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."
But how often do we rejoice in our suffering? I have to confess, I don't do it very often.
Sometimes disappointment can't be overcome, only endured. In moments like that it's important to remember that we have hope on our side. Hope in Christ's love, hope for better days to come, the hope to maybe even try again. So when the storms of life come your way don't let yourself be troubled, instead pick yourself up and remember with God there will always be hope.
There is hope in disappointment.
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