Months in advance, I plan which previously published posts I’ll share on Recharge Wednesday. When I saw the date this was planned for, I thanked God again. One loved one’s graduation has been canceled. Dear friends’ wedding may have to be limited to family. COVID-19 is messing with milestones for many of us. Yet God is our comfort!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us…”
In Genesis 27, we read about a milestone that should have been, but wasn’t.
Missed Milestone #1:
Imagine what Esau looked forward to the day his dying father told him to get ready to receive the blessing. Esau, Isaac’s older son, had been expecting to receive this blessing from his father for his whole life. It was an important milestone in an oldest sons’ life.
The blessing would signify his stature, outline his inheritance, and seal his glorious future before the Lord. While Esau was out preparing for the big moment, his brother Jacob tricked Isaac and took the blessing, robbing Esau. The oldest son’s long-awaited milestone never came to pass.
Missed Milestone #2:
The younger son, Jacob, likewise prepared for a milestone that didn’t come as expected. He fell in love with a woman named Rachel. For seven years he worked for her father in order to marry her. On his wedding day, Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah instead. His long-awaited wedding was a time of deceit and disappointment.
More Missed Milestones:
Can you imagine the milestones Job was awaiting when suddenly his life was plagued, torn apart, and brought to a place of misery? Or the disappointment of Ruth as she got married, looking forward to years of love and many children, only to lose her husband and end up in a strange land caring for her mother-in-law in poverty?
Mary prepared herself for Godly marriage only to discover God’s plans actually involved being pregnant out of worldly wedlock.
Paul is a great example, too. He was a zealous Jew, well-known for his “great” work persecuting Christians. Surely he looked forward to a life of upstanding religious reputation and power. Then, he was struck blind on a road, transformed by Jesus Christ, and joined the ranks of the persecuted.
The Bible holds no shortage of examples of people whose expected and desired “milestone moments” weren’t what they hoped for.
The Bible holds no shortage of examples of people whose expected and desired 'milestone moments' weren’t what they hoped for. Click To TweetWho among us hasn’t also had grand plans and dreams that haven’t come true or weren’t what we expected? There are plenty of milestones we look forward to that never happen. Or, that occur, but are tainted by sin or are altogether not what we anticipated.
We struggle with dreams as Christians. Often we struggle because we put our hope, oh so humanly, in things, ideas, and plans instead of in the Lord. Surely He knows His plans for us, and His plans are for our good and His glory. Sometimes disappointment comes because there’s sin in the world, out of our control, not because of any wrong perspective on our part.
Disappointment is a natural result when what we expected isn’t found or isn’t what we thought. But our strength is renewed when we look to our true hope, who never disappoints –our Lord.
“Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. –Isaiah 40:27-31
Looking back at Biblical examples of expected milestones dashed to bits, we see how God lines the walk of faith with unmet milestones. But all along the way, He walks with us.
God had plans for each of the people mentioned- and His plans turned disappointment into God-appointments. He regards us and our causes. He understands and isn’t worn out on us. He comforts us, gives us the reason for hope, and He renews our strength!
We have the privilege of witnessing God working in our disappointments today. How have you seen God offer comfort in the disappointments of late?
{A version of this post was originally published on My Faith Radio}
LINKUP PARTY opens Wednesday 4/15 at 6 am!
Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:
1. Add your Link.
2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.
3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page
LINKUP party is open! Today, my friend @BethanyMcIlrath shares a poignant post about disappointments. It will speak to many hearts whose plans have been changed or who are suffering hardship thru this COVID-19 crisis. Join us? Click To Tweet
This is so timely. We were disappointed that my oldest son’s trip here last weekend was canceled, and the family couldn’t be together for Easter and my grandson’s birthday. But I’m thankful for the technology that allowed us to participate virtually.
I’m sorry for those disappointments, Barbara. We had planned on an Easter trip to see family, too. And missing in-person birthdays is so hard. Technology is such a blessing right now!
Isn’t it wonderful how our God goes before us? I had to smile when I read that you planned this before the COVID-19 crisis started. What a blessed assurance to know that OUR frustrated plans are part of a BIGGER plan! He is faithful and that should be enough reason to keep a joyful heart through any circumstances.
I am so grateful you are on this team! Love you, sweet girl!
Patricia, I can’t count how many times God has amazed me with his timing this way. But this instance was too good not to share. He is so faithful! You are such a gift. Love you back, friend!
I want to share this article with a young friend who is really feeling the season’s disappointments. Thanks for thinking all this through for us, Bethany!
Michele, I hope this is an encouragement to that young friend. I’m so grateful God’s Word holds stories we can identify with in our disappointment instead of platitudes.
Yes, there are definitely a lot of milestones we are missing now. My youngest granddaughter turns 6 months today and I haven’t been able to see her for several weeks. She is now sitting up and hitting her own milestones without us. I am grateful for technology to visit with her, but also finding it important to feel my grief for the things I’m missing out on. 🙁
Aw Lisa, I’m so sorry. It’s so sad to miss that time of life in-person. Happy 6 months to your little granddaughter. I hope God gives you lots of tech connect time and comfort in the disappointment. May we all be able to get together in-person with our people again soon!
Bethany, this is an excellent post. and you’re right. It couldn’t be more timely! Definitely one to share.
Thank you, Debbie! May He comfort and encourage you today!
What a poignant and timely post, Bethany. I’m feeling the disappointment of missed milestones, while often reminding myself that God has purpose for these cancellations in the lives of those who are even more closely affected than me. (I also appreciate your use of the word “disappointment,” rather than other more dramatic terms.) I love how the timing worked out for this post … but God. 🙂
Thank you, Lois. It’s a time for ALL the feelings, isn’t it? Sometimes I miss get so caught up in the dramatic things (or avoiding those haha) and forget that simple things like disappointments matter to God. So glad we can bring them to Him. But God…!
He walks with us. Perfect.
So glad He does!
Bethany, such a needed message right now. Disappointments because our expectations didn’t pan out or what we hoped for never came to be, is something that happens to us all. And it even tests our faith as it did some biblical people.
This is good: “We struggle with dreams as Christians. Often we struggle because we put our hope, oh so humanly, in things, ideas, and plans instead of in the Lord.”
Thanks Karen! I can’t remember what exactly prompted me to write this in the first place, or when, because you’re right that we all deal with this throughout life. Praise God He understands and is with us. Thanks for your encouragement, I hope God gives you joy today no matter what you are facing!