“I just don’t see how this is going to work.”
Staring into the woman’s eyes, my heart immediately broke. I bit my lip to keep from crying tears of frustration and disappointment. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs—or burst into tears and run away. Instead, I simply stayed at my desk and acted like nothing had happened.
But something had happened. I had been majorly disappointed. Again. When would I learn to not have such high expectations?
Expecting the Worst
I re-realized this week that life is full of unexpected outcomes. “Re-realized” is the best term for it because there are some things that I just can’t seem to remember. So I realize them, forget them, and realize them again.
Specifically, I can’t seem to remember how foolish it is to have high expectations. Rarely does life go the way that I think it will.
The details of my recent experience are dull and complicated, but essentially, my expectations weren’t met. After days of preparation and expectancy, my plan failed. I felt crushed inside because of the unexpected turn of events. I had assumed that everything would work out according to my plan—and I still don’t really understand why my plan didn’t succeed.
Now all I have are unanswered questions and burdensome doubts. I’m tired of wringing my hands because of future decisions that I now have to make. I feel even more anxious because my plan didn’t come to pass.
Of course, I can keep doubting, wringing my hands, and feeling anxious. That’s the easy option. But the hard option—and the more worthwhile option—is to trust that God’s plan is coming to pass.
But Trusting God’s Best
“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 ESV)
Esther was chosen by King Ahasuerus to be queen, even though there were many other women whom he could’ve picked instead. She just “happened” to be a Jew who just “happened” to be given the opportunity to save her people. Perhaps she hadn’t planned to be queen or discover Haman’s plot to exterminate her people. But that’s what happened.
And through those unexpected outcomes, God used her in unexpected ways. She rescued her people from death and destruction.
Even though disappointment hit me hard recently, that doesn’t mean that I have an excuse to curl up in a ball and pout. God is working in ways that I can’t always observe or understand, but His plan is at work. He can use me—and you—even in our disappointment.
Maybe you didn’t get accepted into that college or make that sports team or find that job or meet that special someone or have that special event or achieve that goal for a reason—because God is leading you somewhere better.
We often experience surprises, and that’s okay. God is working even when we feel disappointed by unexpected outcomes. And when we face those unexpected outcomes, God can use us in unexpected ways.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 