“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
A lot of people don’t tell their kids about Santa Claus. They don’t play along with the idea that a jolly, obese man comes down your chimney and fills your stocking with goodies or adorns your tree skirt with gifts. Each to his own, I guess. I was a kid (and adult) with a wild imagination. When I was six years old, I started confusing Santa and God. Both lived “up north”, both watched over me, and both brought presents—only Santa’s presents I could tangibly play with. My folks started noticing my favoritism and decided to fill me in on the truth. I was devastated, not to mention freaked out. The way Dad told me was he brought me by his bedroom drawer where he stashed all of my brothers and my teeth the “Tooth Fairy” collected. I felt big for knowing the truth, but I was disappointed to know that what I had always, confidently, believed was all made up.
We go through life filled with disappointments. If you know anything about me, you know that I’m a huge Lads to Leaders advocate. I love the opportunity to watch so many disciples and future disciples be brave enough to lead a song or give a speech. It’s true: everyone is a winner. But, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care for the awards. I’d also be lying if I said those awards ceremonies haven’t brought me and my children some gut-punching disappointment over the years.
So if the awards ceremonies bring me so much grief, why do we keep going back year after year?
One of the greatest things we can learn is to overcome disappointment. Things won’t always go our way. People won’t always react the way we want them to. Your outdoor wedding will be during a thunderstorm and your son will choose to marry a girl you don’t care for. The things you put time into hoping for don’t work out the way you want. So why hope at all?
One of my favorite songs we sing at church has the following lyrics:
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord.
You are the everlasting God.
You do not faint. You won’t grow weary.
You're the Defender of the weak. You comfort those in need. You lift us up on wings like eagles. (Based on Isaiah 40:31)
We have an idea of what is “good.” God has his idea of what is “good.” Our faith is tested when God’s good idea and our good idea meet head on. I worked my butt off to be Dorothy in the community musical, Wizard of Oz. I prayed for the role every day until audition day. I auditioned and nailed it. Twelve girls got called back, and I was one of them. God had come through for me! I gave every ounce of energy that I had in that callback room. The cast list came out, and I was in the ensemble. I was devastated. I could have sulked for weeks feeling sorry for myself and wondering why didn’t come through for me. Instead, I got up Sunday and went to church where I was convicted of God’s own words: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) God did come through for me. In this waiting process, I gained strength. This strength builds me up for the next disappointment.
In this life, we will receive so many disappointments because this isn’t paradise. Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that we are going to have disappointments in this world. But if you keep reading, He comforts us by saying, “I have overcome it.” Jesus is alive! He is sitting at the right hand of our Maker who also created a dwelling place for us in the Heavens. This I am confident in because I’ve been through the trials, and I’ve been strengthened by the disappointments. He gets me through every single time. My “good” might not always be His “good,” but His “good” is always worth me laying mine down in order to do it His way.
For the twenty years I lived in my parents house, they snuck around late on Christmas Eve night like Santa Claus, carefully placing the presents by the fireplace. I knew Santa Claus wasn’t actually placing the presents, but my folks were the ones to keep the magic alive. I had a hope for something greater than a jolly man in a red suit.
The wisest man on earth puts life into perspective. He calls life “vanity” and “meaningless.” It sounds pessimistic, but it isn’t. It’s the most profound wisdom we can hang on to in order to live in the world and not of it. Tangible, materialistic events, things, and even people are bound to disappoint us if we put our hope in them. But God will never disappoint us. If we truly believe in Him, we will never be ashamed. (Romans 10:11) I can’t tell you where my Lads to Leaders trophies are, but I can tell you every speaking engagement, published book, Bible study, class, and song leading opportunity I’ve had because of that program. Even through the “finalist” disappointments, the strength I gained from the Father I hope in vastly outweighs my discouragement. “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in YOU.” (Psalm 39:7)
Comments