Tuesday, September 27, 2022

 Hope Within the Hurting – Mixed Emotions

September 27, 2022/in Bible Study, Week 3

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In May, I graduated from the University of Toledo. I had been looking forward to this for four years and was thrilled when I finally earned my degree. I had the perfect vision of what my life would look like after college—I was so excited to find a full-time job that I loved and to finally live on my own!

However, I soon discovered that navigating life after college is not as easy as it seems. I was discouraged when I found that life is full of twists and turns. While there are times of prosperity and hope, there are also times of despair and disappointment. This summer, I was faced with personal battles that prevented my plans from coming to fruition. Because of this, I felt terribly defeated.

Many tears have been shed, and there have been sleepless nights filled with anxiety, but God planted hope in me and gave me the strength to endure these disappointments. Even when I pushed God away, I could still feel him nearby, working for my good. Sure, it would have been great to have gotten everything I personally desired after I graduated. But I was chasing my own dream instead of following the unique path God had planned for me.

While I was disheartened, these trials encouraged me to reconnect with God. I grew in patience and persistence by listening to God and not letting the enemy deceive me into believing that disappointments were the end of the journey. In fact, they were just the beginning: they matured me in wisdom and faith.

Rather than working full-time, I am going back to school for something completely unrelated to my degree. I plan on working part-time, and I won’t be moving out on my own just yet. If I had known last spring what I know now, I would have been distraught. I would have thought that all my hard work was for nothing and my trust in God would have been shaken. But, as the Scriptures teach, God refined my heart through these disappointments. He humbled me and taught me that life is not meant to be done alone; our human plans are not always going to succeed.

In life, we will inevitably face disappointment. Thankfully, God does promise that there will be joy ahead if we trust in him.

1 Peter 1:6-7

6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Questions:

What are some recent disappointments that you have faced? How did you react? Did they impact your relationship with God?

Next Steps:

Practice gratitude: Write down three things that you are grateful for each day and thank God for these gifts.

Join a Group of Jesus-followers who will support you on your journey with Christ. Surround yourself with those who will support you and remind you of God’s promises of hope.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for supporting us through life’s disappointments. Remind us that you are there through every trial and that you can use our disappointments for a greater purpose. Please renew our hope that, even though we may face disappointment, there is indescribable joy ahead for those who put their trust in you. In Jesus’ name, amen.