Trust

What Do You Do When You Are Disappointed?

DrJayCook Disappointment , , , ,

It happens.  A lot!  Someone hurts you whether you realize it or not.  A trusted friend seems to turn on you.  Things happen that rock your world.  You expectations or hopes are not met.  And disappointment follows.

We all know that life is full of disappointments.  They can be big or small.  Most of them go away quickly, but some linger and fester.  It is part of life.

We can let the disappointment go, or get frustrated, or become heartbroken, or worse.  Truly, the choice is ours.

Typically we face disappointments because we tend to put our confidence in people.  We think that we can rely on the good judgment of others.  However, each of us knows that we are not perfect and often make mistakes.  It is surprising that though we know our own limitations, we do not think about the limitations of others.

So what can we do?

We must put our hope only in God.  Consider what Psalm 118:8 tells us: “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humanity.”  We must love others and foster relationships, but we must also face reality.  Only God handles the circumstances of life with true wisdom and concern.

If we can come to grips with this truth, it enables us to realize that disappointments are not final when we allow God to have His proper place in our lives.  Actually, though no one wants to be disappointed, it can lead to deeper hope and faith as we see God work through the mess of life.  “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

As you have, I have faced my share of disappointment.  I also realize that those who disappoint do not always mean to do so.

But I also realize that God cares about me (and you).  He has given me strength and hope when I lacked it.  He has worked things out for my good even though it may not have been in the time frame I desired.  He is faithful, and He will be faithful to you.

Trust Him.

And go deeper into this by checking out the following resource…

Discover What St. Patrick’s Day Can Show Us

DrJayCook Christian Life , , , , , ,

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I hope yours is a special one.

Honestly, most of us (if we celebrate at all) focus on wearing green, eating corned beef and cabbage, and decorating with leprechauns and shamrocks.  That is how we often celebrate holidays – not for what they represent but for what they have become.

St. Patrick’s Day is about a missionary who changed a country, and we celebrate it in honor of the day he died (March 17).

Patrick was born in Britain in the late 300s.  When he was 16, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he was forced to tend sheep and treated terribly.  However, during that time he grew in his trust in God, in prayer, and in living the way He should.

He wrote later in Confession of Saint Patrick: “After I arrived in Ireland, I tended sheep every day, and I prayed frequently during the day.  More and more the love of God increased and my sense of awe before God.  Faith grew, and my spirit was moved, so that in one day I would pray up to one hundred times…”

After several years, he escaped and went home where he felt God’s direction to enter the ministry.  He faithfully served and became a bishop, but there was more to come.

Patrick felt the call to return to Ireland to share the hope of Jesus.  He did return, but it was not easy and was often dangerous.  He served 29 years in Ireland, baptized over 100,000 people, and built 300 churches.  He also became known for the unique way he explained the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit): he used a three-leaf clover to describe it.

Very little will be said about Patrick’s actual life and impact, but you now know.  And I hope it makes the day more meaningful because his life shows us great truths.

Life is often cruel and hard.  People can be mean and thankless.  But we are reminded in Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”  God did not say that all things are good, but He did say that all things will work together for the good of His faithful followers.

We must remember that God has a bigger plan for our lives than we could imagine.  After all, we are reminded in Psalm 31:15: “The course of my life is in your power…”

Like Patrick, we must keep our eyes focused on the prize.  We must let God lead.  We must trust Him completely, and we will find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  The good news is that that pot of gold is what God has in store for those who persevere.

Dig into more of this man’s life by checking out the following resource…

Tornado Lessons

DrJayCook Adversity , , , , ,

Where were you on Monday evening (November 20, 2023)?

I was driving on Highway 16 and reached the Farmhaven community a little after 6:00 p.m.  It was raining.  Then the winds picked up and hail began to fall.  Suddenly, the interior of my truck was filled with the sound of something like a loud whistle.  I later discovered that what I thought was happening WAS happening: a tornado was very close.

I grabbed the steering wheel tightly with both hands.  I became hyper-alert as limbs began to fall.  I wished for the 18-wheeler ahead of me to speed up.  I prayed.

Since I am writing this article, you probably gathered that I came out of the situation unscathed.  However, it did make me think about the trials we face in life.  Perhaps we all can learn a thing or two from the storms.

I grabbed the steering wheel tightly because I knew that I had to be careful; trials make us realize that we must be careful to not do things we should not do out of fear.  I became very alert because I knew that I must be focused; trials drop lots of “limbs” around us that must be navigated around.  I wished to go faster because I wanted to get out of the area as soon as possible; trials lead us to look for solutions to get out of the trials quickly.  I prayed because I knew that I must; trials help us realize that we really do need God’s help in the trials and in between the trials.

You probably knew those things.  I did, but I was reminded of the importance of them Monday night.

It is moments like that that make certain verses stand out to me.  What came to my mind was Philippians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

We cannot avoid the “tornadoes” of life, but we can trust the One who loves us.  God knows.  God sees.  God cares.  And He will help you through the storms when you place your faith in Him.

Consider the following resource to go deeper. Click the picture to find out more…