How does one deal with disappointment?
Sermon Expressway: There is no such thing as a disappointment- for all things good and seemingly bad – work together for those that believe in God. Rom. 8:28
Recently that has become my favorite verse.
As I struggle to ground myself in God’s grace, I minister to myself, reminding myself of an all-knowing God that loves me and suffers me only for a moment while he prunes.
John 15:2-6 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
And
Leviticus 25:3 Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop
Why pruning fruit trees are important:
1. Restoring from Neglect: A fruit tree that’s been neglected requires pruning. Otherwise, its branches aren’t shaped for healthy growth or easy picking.
2. Timing: If you prune fruit, timing is critical. If you do it too late, the remaining fruit may not benefit enough, remaining small. If you thin too early, the stone fruits may split their pits, defeating the purpose of thinning out the crop.
Isn’t that how prune juice works? Its thick rich juice cleansing toxins out of our body with a spewing that seemingly makes us sick so we may ultimately feel more better than we originally did?
Often times we hold grudges against those that hurt us and when we disobey God’s commandment to forgive – we miss our own blessing to be made more fruitful with renewed comprehension of God’s digging and cleansing in us. We are called to forgive so that we can contemplate the deep mercy of God that manifest in ourselves when we practice the act of forgiving. Our ultimate goal is to become like Jesus in the same manner that God forgives us for our countless sins, although we hurt and crucify him afresh we are equally called to the crucifixion for our loved ones. Loving those that use us, despise us and hate us.
No disappointment, all things good and bad are good no bad.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
In bearing the hurt of those that we love with all of our hearts – we are able to understand how God is able to yet love us with all of his heart, God allows us to suffer trials and tribulations so that his love for us is simultaneously tested and achieved. As he carries us on his back from grace to grace, we arise more powerful than the death before with a deepened relationship and a deepened love for our Lord. Likewise, as we practice the forgiveness God commands, our loved ones are able to witness God’s deep and powerful love for us, an unconditional suffering that though physically transacted on the cross, is continually carried out from day to day as God nonetheless provides his unfaltering love and protection.
Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God is good and the greatest Christian earthly reward is becoming good. What does it mean to be good? To be mighty in power but just and kind. To be all intelligent yet wise and just. To be comforting and giving and bestowing pleasure for the mere Heaven of it. If we choose to always practice forgiveness when we have the power to hate and persecute than we are able to be a source of comfort. Everlasting comfort is Heaven and in our striving for goodness, we can become tiny sources of inferior heavens as we help guide others to the true Heaven.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
To God be the glory – for it is through him that I have received a heightened heavenly awareness. To God be the glory for in our surrendering to seemingly bad we are given fresh holy eyes to evermore view the spirit of God. To God be the glory, for our obedience, which we once sought as a means to an earthly end becomes a reward unto itself. The increased ability to be obedient to God is the one true gift. For in our obedience we are not only guaranteed a seat in Heaven, we don’t have to hunger for Heaven, heaven becomes more evident and tangible in our hearts. To God be the glory – for he giveth us disappointment so we may have the opportunity to evaluate the displacement of our expectations so we may correctly reassign ALL of our expectations on him and him alone.
Psalm 128 Happy are those who obey the Lord, who live by his commands.2 Your work will provide for your needs; you will be happy and prosperous…
To God be the glory! – he that allowed me to grow deeper in more stronger in him, each day more equipped to cast out stronger cast holds and demons. To God be the glory, that has entrusted me with the privilege and honor to witness blessings by my increased faith.
To God be the glory – he has done a great thing in me by means of my pain – changed my walk, talk and heart. For God be the glory, in his infinite power and wisdom though I walk alone, I am never alone.
To my God be the glory, my best friend who has yet to leave me or forsake me.
I thank you and I love you.
Forever and ever
Amen.
Queen Green 
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