John 11:28-29 “…she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.
As many have noted, troubles either make us bitter or better. How we handle the inevitable disappointments that come our way determines who we’re becoming.
Mary’s handling of disappointment not only resulted in something better, but in something miraculous.
She was not some idyllic romantic, a blind devotee of Jesus. She faced real disappointment when Jesus didn’t come to heal her brother. Lazarus had died, leaving her with deep, raw grief. She mourned over the loss of her brother, but also from the huge letdown she felt when Jesus didn’t meet her expectations. Now it seemed too late.
When Jesus did arrive, he called for Mary. She didn’t retaliate by withholding herself from him. She got up immediately, ran to him, and fell at his feet weeping. Had she refused to let go of her unmet expectancy, she would have missed the great work God was calling her to be a part of. But she pushed through her disappointment and witnessed a miracle.
I know another woman who didn’t push through. She, too, experienced a deep loss. But rather than running to Jesus, she withdrew. When I asked her one day about her relationship with God she replied, “God and I aren’t on speaking terms right now.” That happened years ago. Sadly, they still aren’t “on speaking terms.”
Not long ago, I encountered one of those gut-wrenching disappointments. I was driving, praying about the situation, when I turned on the radio. Strains of Brandon Lake’s “I’ll Praise Him Anywhere” filled the car. Immediately, I knew what God was telling me to do in that moment. So I started praising God. Not for the situation itself, but in spite of it. I began praising him for his faithfulness, for his goodness, for his plan to turn all things—even this sorrow—into good.
It takes faith to praise God in the midst of our disappointment. But as Brandon Lake sings, Sometimes we gotta’ sing through the fire, and praise him when it don’t make sense.
Friend, the next time you encounter disappointment, I pray you don’t let it make you bitter, but better. Run to Jesus and let him lead you through it.