When Disappointments Seem to Outweigh the Blessings

Blessings & Disappointments

Both of her hands rested on her protruding pregnant belly.  My eyes automatically went to my healthy newborn son as I listened to the news.  Something had been spotted on the last sonogram.  The baby was not growing normally. 

The doctors told them to prepare themselves; there was a chance the baby would not be born alive. 

Disappointments & Blessings

I had not known my sister-in-law for very long, but I knew we were very much alike.  Regardless of her deep disappointment and fear hidden beneath the surface, she stood firm in her faith.  I recognized the armor of a godly woman.

I’ve questioned myself many times over the years.  I wanted to reach out and hug her so she could let her tears flow freely.  Yet, I did not.  The color of my armor may have been different, but we were both wearing it.  Now was not the time for her armor to crack. 

Disappointments would hit her like rapid gunfire.  Blessings had to be searched for like buried treasure.  

There were years of praying, waiting, trying, IVF, loss, and then an unexpected blessing.  Dreams of motherhood were on the horizon.  Suddenly, the dreams slowly started to fade into the sunset. 

My nephew was born with a rare genetic disorder – Juene Syndrome. 

Disappointments multiplied and blessings were hidden deep beneath the surface.

My nephew came into the world a pale shade of blue with no sound; God prevailed in this moment of disappointment.  A faint cry escaped his underdeveloped lungs – a blessing. 

There was no time for rest.  The armor was put back in place.  The NICU was followed by months in a hospital, hours from home: tests, specialists, surgeries, unknown prognoses – disappointments. 

My nephew was a fighter. 

Doctors thought he wouldn’t make it past the age of two.  God had other plans.  Although many childhood milestones were delayed, he would eventually get there in his own time – blessings. 

Related Post: When God Changes the Desires of Your Heart

The Promises of God

A few years later, another diagnosis would bring further disappointment – Asperger’s Syndrome.  The search for blessings continued.  

When faced with deep disappointments, we have two choices.  We can turn to God and draw closer, asking Him to reveal His blessings, or we can turn away from God, clinging to our bitterness, never discovering His blessings. 

Many people in the Bible suffered deep disappointment.  

• Moses pleaded with God to let him enter the promised land, but God refused.
• Naomi lost her husband and two sons while they traveled from Bethlehem to Moab to escape famine.
• Mary and Martha were disappointed that Jesus didn’t arrive in time to heal their brother Lazarus.
• Jacob was disappointed to find Leah under the veil instead of his love Rachel after working for seven years to marry her. 

They all chose to have faith in God’s promises. 

Moses glimpsed the promised land knowing God would keep His promise to the Israelites. Naomi was blessed with her daughter-in-law Ruth and wasn’t left alone.  Mary and Martha witnessed Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, and after agreeing to work another seven years, Jacob was able to marry Rachel, the woman he truly loved.  

Choosing Faith

My sister-in-law chose to have faith in God during her disappointments.  I know there must have been hard days of wrestling with God.  Days she was disappointed with God and wanted to understand.  Maybe she was even angry with God as she took her son to another doctor’s appointment. 

Her armor was hit with many disappointments. There were times she was plagued with feelings of being overwhelmed and lonely, yet she chose to look for God’s blessings.  Days remembered when she realized her son no longer needed to carry an oxygen tank everywhere they went.  The sound of laughter from the car’s back seat after he tells her a quirky joke – blessings.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 that our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  God has a plan and a purpose for every disappointment and blessing, just as He has a plan and a purpose for every life here on earth. 

My nephew may see the world differently from others and is still working his way into adulthood.  But he was led to Jesus by a mom who stood firm in her faith, wearing the armor of a godly woman.  Perhaps, the purpose of all the blessings and disappointments is for a special young man to lead others like himself to Jesus.

What a blessing.  

Disappointments can be devastating and life-altering. But if we stand firm in our faith and the promises of God, we will draw closer to our Savior and reap His blessings while pointing others towards salvation.  

Testimonies of Fatih

Let’s Talk About Faith

Have you ever struggled to put your faith into words? Or have you wondered what was up with the whole Jesus thing? If so, you are not alone.

Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with these Christian women. They are living with Jesus and invite you to come alongside them for a little Faith Talk.