God Gives Himself

But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store.

Job 23:13–14 ESV

What could possibly be good about disappointment? Only this: the possibility of God’s presence.

I find it interesting that the word appointment is right there in the word disappointment. That wordplay reflects what I have seen in my life again and again. Disappointment takes something from us: a dream, a piece of our hearts, maybe a whole chunk. But disappointment leaves something too: a lesson learned, an opportunity, the possibility of choosing change.

The Enemy, however, would like us to feel such deep disappointment that we never find our way back to God or His plan for us. He wants to convince us to stay stuck in our disappointment in hopes that we’ll miss future God appointments. But we don’t have to let that happen.

When Job faced massive disappointment, and he asked God a lot of anguished questions, God never did provide answers as to why Job’s life had unfolded as it did. What God did give Job was Himself, and as it turned out, that was more than enough to propel him onward toward a brighter future—one where God restored to him far more than he ever had before.

Lord, thank You for redeeming all of my disappointments. I believe for a better future than I ever imagined.