Your third day – Dealing with disappointment
As the festive season is just around the corner, we will be starting to busy ourselves with buying presents, putting up Christmas decorations and dressing up for all those Christmas parties. From December 1st until Christmas day, our expectations would have risen like the soufflé we are thinking of serving up at our Christmas dinner.
But expectations can quickly turn into disappointments as you find yourself excitedly tearing off the wrapping paper and discover yet another wonderful sweater to add to your collection from that loving relative. (Ahem)
At this time of year, we don’t like to use the word “disappointment” it sours the mood of what Christmas is all about.
Like good, tidy Christian’s, we take the“I’m-really-okay about-it”medication which helps numb the setback of the disappointment you’ve felt and coats another layer of wax on your Christian veneer, making sure the cracks of the letdown don’t show in your faith.
I think about the birth of Jesus. The Saviour of the world was born in a smelly, old stable, surrounded by uneducated shepherd folk. Total disappointment, right there.
And let’s not forget the end of Jesus’ life. The expectation that He would take over the Roman Empire was crushed the moment the angry crowd let Barabbas go and told Pilate to crucify Jesus instead.
After the crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples would have felt the bitter blow of defeat and huge disappointment, as they watched the limp body of their Saviour being taken down from the cross.
What had gone so horribly wrong? Jesus was meant to save the world. But now, in the stillness of their discouragement, they felt as though Jesus had led them down a blind alley. All those promises of His kingdom coming. All the teachings and miracles of His ministry – for what? This? Dead, in a borrowed tomb? He wasn’t supposed to die. Everything was gone. And everything was a mess.
…That was before the third day
If we’re honest with ourselves, disappointments can leave wounds that take time to heal.
Like the disciples, we’ve put our faith in knowing and understanding our purpose and calling in Jesus Christ, only to watch it die unexpectedly by the hands of the assassins the enemy sends our way.
Cradling our bruised and broken hearts, we have camped out in disappointment ville, not wanting to step out again into the unknown, not wanting to form new relationships for fear of being letdown again, like so many times before.
Listen… It’s time to lift your eyes oh precious son and daughter, to the One who sees your disappointment and asks you to give it all to Him. He wants you to remember the third day.
He wants you to know that there had to be a death before a resurrection.
Jesus needed all those things you thought were good in your life to die, else they’d be no resurrection of the new things He has waiting for you.
Psalm 30:5 promises that,‘weeping may endure the night, but JOY COMES in the morning.’
Friend, your night is over. The sun now rises on your third day and joy is coming with it!
Imagine how elated the disciples felt when they saw the empty tomb! All their disappointment was gone. Jesus was alive! The miracle and wonder that their Saviour had risen on the third day was incomprehensible.
Jesus never disappoints us. He never lets us down. He’s in the business of resurrecting things. So, look to Him.
Psalm 30: 11-12 says, ‘You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.’
This is your third day.
So, pack up your tent and get on the next train out of disappointment ville, you don’t need to live there anymore.
Your new address is a town called, Joyville.
How do you find it? Just look for a stone that has been rolled away and an empty tomb.
Wendy xo
