Disappointment Rocks!

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.  Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.  Acts 3:3-9

Today we'll discuss the second action that Peter performed that helped the beggar, and offers us a new way to help ourselves and others.

First, as we discussed yesterday, Peter commanded the man to look at him.  And we see in the next sentence that the man did just that.  And why?  Because he was expecting them to give him something.  They did, didn't they?  Just not what he was wanting.

He was wanting money, obviously.  And Peter addresses that head-on:  "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you."

Ouch.  Would you have been disappointed?  Thinking you were getting lunch money, and being told that that was not going to be it at all?  I'm sure the man was disgusted and disappointed.

Some of the greatest gifts of my life have come from disappointment.  For seven years, my husband and I tried to have a baby.  I cried millions of tears during that time, asked God hundreds of times, "why?"  There were times that I felt like my heart was literally broken.  There were moments when I felt like everything was ok, I was at peace with not having children . . . then the tears would come again.  I could not understand the purpose of all this, especially when I saw what I (probably unfairly) considered unfit people having babies all the time.

In December of 2001, while waiting for the children's Christmas musical to begin at church, a friend came to tell us that his wife was pregnant.  I hugged him, congratulated him, sat down . . . and as the lights went dim I started to cry.  I cried through the entire service, silently.  I cried at lunch, I cried in the car, I cried all day.  By the end of the day, I was exhausted.  I called out to God in my pain and anguish - and probably in the most honest way I had called to Him in the entire seven years.  I said, "God!!  Please give me a baby!  Or, take away my desire for one.  I can't take it anymore!!"

Two months later I found out I was pregnant.  No one was more shocked than me!  I couldn't believe it!  Looking back, it's easy to see God's timing.  I wasn't ready when we first started trying.  I wasn't ready in the middle.  (There are times I think I'm still not ready!  Too late now!)

My point of this long (probably boring, to you) story is that I lived with disappointment for years.  Later I learned that the disappointment was preparing me for the real gift, the gift of my son Samuel.  But truly, the biggest joy of it all is not Samuel.  It's what I learned about God during that time.

Disappointment is not merely sadness or being down about something.  Disappointment involves another person.  To disappoint means:  to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of (dictionary.com).  I wasn't just disappointed about my situation.  I was disappointed in God.  Right?  Don't you see that?

But God is big.  He can take my disappointment in order to fulfill His perfect and right purposes.  I stayed with Him, stayed true to Him.  And now I'm thankful that He didn't give me what I wanted, when I wanted.  I got what was perfect, in the perfect way, at the perfect time.

Sometimes God disappoints us to give us what we really need.  Is there something in your life that you've been wanting, even begging for, and you've been left unfilled?  Praise God!  Praise Him for the areas of life that seem empty.  That's where He can fill you up.

Tomorrow's action:  helping him get up.