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“By this I know that you (God) delight in me; my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.”  Psalm 31:8

How could one week be filled with so many disappointments? Yet, that is exactly where I landed. Things that I wished and hoped for didn’t materialize. Things I desperately hoped wouldn’t happen showed up. Reality here the hoped for and hoped wouldn’t disappointments added to an ever increasing pile of not what I expected or ever planned for.

Perhaps you’ve been there too – when your dreams seem to vanish into thin air. Maybe you’ve begged and prayed asking God to prevent a bitter cup from spilling over and drenching your life. Living on this earth, sweet friends, we’ve all experienced less than wanted moments. And until we step foot onto heaven’s shores, we will battle through the hard places of getting what we don’t want and not getting what we hoped for.

Discouragement and disillusionment create the perfect landing place for the enemy to zero our focus on all the things we ‘d rather avoid. His whispers echo in our ears, “God is holding back on us. Life isn’t fair. God could have totally prevented this unwanted circumstance. Why did God choose someone else to receive what we were convinced was meant for us?”
Sounds a little too familiar don’t you think?

On days when I’ve landed in the crashing waves of hopelessness, my sweet Jesus has gathered me up in His loving arms and lifted my feet to higher ground. He’s given me strength to lift my eyes up and glimpse the beauty of His presence. To view today’s disappointments not as setbacks but as opportunities to trust Him more. To cling to His promises and rest in His sovereignty. Remembering His unchanging character. Jesus’ undeniable love for little ole me even in the midst of my pity parties has redefined where I gaze and place my hope; the enemy is silenced.

It’s the hard fought hallelujah – this is my story – this is my song – praising my Savior all the day long. The Lord gives and takes away – blessed be the name of the Lord.

It’s the tough fight and you’ve probably journeyed there too (Job 3:25). So sweet friends let’s do it together holding on to all God is teaching us (Isaiah 48:17). Resist the urge to give up and entertain the lies of the enemy. God has not abandoned us or forsaken us – He draws near to the brokenhearted. His whispers echo in the encouragement and prayers of dear friends – the visible, tangible hands and feet of Jesus. The radiant beauty of just knowing we are His beloved and nothing else really matters. So let’s courageously decide to follow Jesus and not listen to the voice of the enemy – no turning back, no turning back. It’s the grandest place to land, face down and hands raised glorifying God despite unwanteds and unmets of this world.

“Father, You have filled with my heart with joy, You have energized my weary soul and my heart is forever grateful for the journey that draws me close to You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life