Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
Recently, I’ve been reminded how much disappointment stings. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, I can’t prevent disappointments from happening. However, the lessons that I’ve been learning through this recent disappointment in my life will hopefully encourage you as you navigate disappointments in your own life. Here are a few things to remember when life disappoints you.
I wish I could tell you that this Valentine’s Day is special because I finally met The One, but this Valentine’s Day is no different than last Valentine’s Day. Instead of being curled up on the couch with a handsome Christian man wearing a navy pullover sweater and an almost mischievous side smile, I’m writing yet another blog post about singleness. “An Honest Confession on Valentine’s Day” seemed like the only appropriate title for a post about the major gap between where I am and where I want to be this Valentine’s Day.
When I heard about Danny’s and Nina’s promotions, I started to drown in disappointment and embarrassment: Why did they promoted instead of me? Everyone in this company is probably wondering the same thing. Am I not doing enough? Am I doing something wrong?
2023, I realize that you may hold a million new opportunities. Oh, how I hope so. I could meet an amazing guy, fall in love, and get married. A huge book publisher could reach out to me and ask me to write a new book. Podcasters, bloggers, authors, speakers, and other influential individuals from around the world could invite me to share my story for their audiences. I should be hopeful about your arrival, not scared. So why can’t I seem to shake this fear?
My pride says, "Grace, your book could encourage so many young women as they recover from their eating disorders." My pride says, "There's so much potential for your book; you'd be famous if people knew about it." My pride says, "Your book could be a bestseller if only people would let you promote it." But as I focus on my book and my platform and my lack of success, I quickly drown in discouragement. Perhaps I need to focus less on my efforts and focus more on God’s will.
So in response to my Bible reading and my increasing weariness in the post-release season of Real Recovery, I wrote the following angry words in prayer: Dear God, as You know, it’s really frustrating to know that You can do BEYOND ALL THAT I ASK OR THINK yet You’ve done so much less than I asked or thought.
A couple weeks ago, I was tasked with a long, tedious assignment at work that has produced much frustration and discouragement in my heart. I’m so done with this assignment, but unfortunately, I can’t actually be done for several more weeks. Staring at a screen all day certainly seems bad for my physical health, but it also seems bad for my mental health. Is data verification what God truly destined for me? I believe that—at least for this season of my life—the answer is yes.
I had recently quit my job—my first job as a college graduate—due to several issues with management and my coworkers. Trying to avoid a long period of unemployment, I applied for a long list of jobs. Within the span of a week or two, I had eight interviews. Which meant that I had an important decision to make. Whether he knew it or not, Tate was actually a determining factor.
So when we have to make a morally neutral decision (i.e., a decision that's neither moral nor immoral), we panic. I believe that in wanting to follow God’s will for our lives, we’ve gone from one extreme to the other—not caring what God thinks about our decisions to being terrified that God will despise the decisions that we make. What if there’s a balance between both of those extremes?
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 