Disappointment with God?

Are you discouraged, or struggling with disappointment? Do you ever turn that disappointment toward God, and express frustration toward Him? In his commentary on the book of Romans (and on chapter 8 in particular), James Montgomery Boice writes some encouraging words that I hope will lead you to rejoice in your Savior, and in His work in your life, as you are wading through waters that will, at times, seem overwhelming.

Someone sent me a book by Philip Yancey, a free-lance author and editor-at-large for Christianity Today, titled, Disappointment with God. It grew out of counseling sessions the author had with young Christians, all of whom were disappointed with God and whose complaints boiled down to three accusations: (1) God is not fair; (2) God is hidden; and (3) God is silent- he does not answer prayers.

I am sure these accusations are genuine, and I appreciate Yancey's answers. He replies that "fairness" would send each and every one of us to hell; that God unveiled himself as fully as possible in the person of the historical Jesus Christ; and this it is out of his periods of silence that God draws forth the precious perfume of human faith.

Yet what stuck with me most about the book is its title; Disappointment with God. For I found myself reflecting, particularly since I was beginning at the same time to work through this great eighth chapter of Romans, how any Christian could possibly be disappointed with God.

Disappointed with God? When He sent Jesus Christ to die for us so that we might escape His just wrath and condemnation? 

Disappointment with God? When He sent His Holy Spirit to free us from our own sinful and debilitating natures and join us to Christ? 

Disappointment with God? When He has made us His very own daughters and sons, with all the privileges that come from it? 

Disappointment with God? When He has drawn us into a great cosmic drama of redemption, in which the heavens and earth have a part? 

Disappointment with God? When the Spirit intercedes for us, conforming our ignorant and incomplete prayers to the good, pleasing, and acceptable will of God?

Disappointment with God? When He has set in motion an invincible chain of saving action, beginning with His affectionate choice of us in eternity past, proceeding through His predestination of us to be saved from sin and conformed to the image of His own blessed Son, His effectual calling of us to faith in Jesus as the Savior, and justification, and ending with glorification in which all the blessed purposes of God toward us are fulfilled? 

Disappointment with God? When He has fixed such a lasting love upon us that nothing in all creation can separate us from it? 

Disappointment?

Brothers and sisters, what are we thinking of? Or is it that we are not thinking? Or thinking only of ourselves? Perhaps our disappointment (if we have it) means only that we are unhappy because God has not done exactly what we wanted Him to do when we wanted Him to do it, regardless of the fact that He has a much better plan for us and is actually working it our day by day, and will until the end of time.

Quotation from: James Montgomery Boice, Romans, Volume 2: The Reign of Grace, Romans 5:1-8:39 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992)

The Year of Fallow Ground and Hidden Fruit

This is a (modified) message I sent to our church family today, that I hope the Lord will use to encourage the flock at Caz, but also anyone else who needs it during these pressing, but providential, days..

Church Family,

It has been such a blessing to see a good number of you back in worship on Sunday mornings. As thankful as I am for that, I also look forward to a time when our entire congregation can gather together again- not only for worship, but for Bible study, for children's ministry, for service to the community- to be a whole family again. And though I lament these times, I am also strengthened in the knowledge that the Lord has a purpose in all we are experiencing as a church. In the Old Testament, there were years where the ground was to rest according to the will of the Lord. Every seventh year, there was a "Sabbath" year, and then one year after seven of those had occurred there was the fiftieth year called the "Jubilee" (Leviticus 25:1-22). During those "Jubilee" years, the people were released from certain debts and requirements, and the ground wasn't tilled and worked as it normally was. I'm sure there were a good many people who, during those years, didn't see that as the greatest wisdom. They would have wanted the normal routines of business and agriculture to continue as usual, for the sake of the "economy," or for the personal comforts that those routines provided. But God was teaching them to trust in Him during those years- that He would provide and care for them, since they were His people, not the world's. A good Father cares for His children, and there is no Father like the Lord. Now, I don't claim to know exactly what our God is doing during these difficult days with great detail and prophetic insight, and I do understand that the year of Jubilee (and the Sabbath year) is no longer mandated, or in effect, for God's people. However, I can see this as something akin to a Jubilee in the wisdom and purposes of God, because I know that He is teaching me (us) to trust Him during a year when normal routines are broken, and where the economy is restrained by people forced to rest. He will provide for His people, and teach them to depend on Him. This year may not have been on our calendars, but it was planned on the Lord's. Satan has a great deal of power in this world as its "prince" (Eph. 2:2), and, no doubt, he plays a part in all of this, but the "earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therin" (Ps. 24:1). All economies, all nations, all governments, and all peoples are His. He has a purpose on the earth and will work all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11)- not according to my timeline, or anyone else's. I may want to charge forward with the regular routines of ministry (and I do), but I willingly and joyfully submit to the Master who is so much higher and holier than a lowly servant like me. He is not required to tell me all His plans or His timelines. I am grateful to know I simply belong to One as good and wise as He, and am loved more than I deserve. His grace is enough. Yes, I look forward to something more "normal," but I also look forward to a time when I can see these days with a little more perspective, in the life of our church and in our home. Surely what is now hidden from my sight will become plain, and what was left fallow will, in His wisdom, have proven fruitful. Greater insight may not be mine until I'm with Him, but I will have learned, in the meantime, that He is my Sustainer, my Deliverer, and my Rock, similar to those who were faithful to keep, and celebrate, those Sabbaths and Jubilees so many years ago. And knowing Him more deeply through it all will be more than enough for me.