The Watchman's Diary

We often have experiences that are the opposite of our expectations or hopes. When this happens, we may experience a range of emotions and look for ways to explain the outcome. Depending on the nature of the disappointment and the factors involved, we may cast blame on others, look for reasons to justify our own actions, lash out in anger, or throw our hands up in surrender. The greater our expectations, the greater our disappointment when the result is not as we hoped. 

James warns us that in making our plans, we should not presume they will turn out the way we laid them out. Instead, we should say that if the Lord wills, we will do this or that (James 4:15). How then should we react when an outcome isn’t what we hoped or planned for? 

We should remember that God’s purpose will be accomplished in everything. We may plan and hope for a specific outcome, but success or failure depends on what God has already ordained. Failure from our perspective is success in God’s planning. Our failure to accomplish our plans may cause us to reflect on the deficiencies in our own lives. On the other hand, success in executing our plans may thwart or delay the salvation of God for others. There are consequences to everything we do, and they are often not visible to us. That is why the Apostle Paul wrote that we should always rejoice, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

You may be wondering how this applies to you. As I mentioned above, disappointment often comes with a range of emotions. These should always lead to reflection. Not just to see what we did wrong or how others could have performed better. Reflection should include how the outcome fits into God’s grand design. We have in scripture, enough information to discern how a particular outcome, or the actions leading up to it were properly aligned to God’s word. Were we seeking after something that does not align with His will for us or for our community? Did we compromise our faith or overlook His word in our pursuit of success? Did we accept the word of people over the leading of His Holy Spirit for the sake of progress? 

The greater the disappointment, the harder it may be to get to that place of reflection where we can reset our emotions and seek to understand how it aligns with the word of God. Scripture contains many promises from God. Not all of them are to our liking as they include judgement and cataclysmic events. You may be confident in your faith but saddened to think that someone you love may not share the same fate. Our love for others and our aversion to pain and suffering may cause us to empathize with an unbiblical view because we seek to comfort them. As believers, our first and last priority is God and to treat all others as secondary. This is not easy, but anything short of that is disobedience.