Disappointed

Disappointed. What a word.

I remember my Mom telling me and my brother, "I'm not mad...I'm just disappointed", growing up.

It's not her fault, but I hear that word and I instantly feel guilty.

Even when I am the one disappointed...I feel guilty that I even feel disappointed!

There's just something about things or people not living up to what you wanted them to be.

It can crush your world, actually, if you let it.

I almost let it crush mine this summer.

Long story short, things didn't go how I thought they should. I felt like I did all the right things, but it didn't matter.

When I get to that point, my gut instinct is to give up.

I mean, what's the point, right?

What's the point of trying so hard when it doesn't work out anyway?

What the point of living right & making right choices when people around you are being rewarded for living for themselves?

What's the point of being nice and generous to others when there's never a difference in the way people treat you?

I know, I sound like a whiny baby, but hang with me for a second.

Here's the point:

Because God sees. Because you're glorifying Him when you live like that. Because you're storing up treasures that can't ever be taken away when you treat others like that. Because you will see a blessing that others only dream about.

Because you're planting seeds today for an amazing harvest you'll see someday.

Have you ever planted seeds? Knees in the dirt...sweaty...bugs...who knows what under all that dirt...not fun.

And all that to finish and see nothing for all your work.

Not yet, anyway.

It's there.

You can't see it yet. You may not even be able to imagine it yet, but it's there.

Your harvest is growing, it just hasn't reached the surface yet.

Don't give up. It's coming.

As I tell you this, I'm reminding myself...God hasn't forgotten us...He's just working underground right now, increasing our harvest...and it's going to overflow your barn (or whatever you use for storage these days :))

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!" Psalm 31:24 

"And let us now grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 

"I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6