Sometimes you don't even realize you're expecting something until something happens and you're hit hard with painful disappointment.
This can be found in our life experiences of expecting certain treatment from certain people or even expectations of an experience or organization. Or perhaps you had expectations for your life that didn't work out the way you wanted.
What do you do when you're unexpectedly disappointed??
Turning to Christ and keeping your hands open is what popped into my mind. Sometimes when we're hurt, disappointed and angry we want to close ourselves off and yank our hands away so we can't recieve anymore. Or sometimes we think - well, if I have no expectations then I'll never get hurt! Jesus is the one you can count on. Even though our prayers may be answered differently than we wanted/expected, we can trust Him 100% that everything is working towards the good of those who love Him. We can trust that He sees and knows the bigger picture intimately, and that He knows best.
On this Feast of the Ascension, I wonder if some of Jesus' followers were unexpectedly disappointed. It took some of them a long time to believe that Christ had risen from the dead and once they did, they were so overjoyed to be with Him again! I wonder if they were partly sad that He was going to the Father and leaving them in a physical way. Even so, no matter how they felt, they took seriously the mission of spreading the Good News and went forth in joy.
How can we do this in our own lives? For me today I am reminded to stay open to what the Lord is offering, even if I'm angry, hurt and disappointed in a friend I love. Even if part of me struggles with this new path my life is taking and with the process of letting go of things in order for it to happen. I can look to our Ascended Christ and know that He is preparing a special place for us and that this is not the end. And until then I will keep looking for ways to love and serve as He asks. One of my favorite quotes is this:
"All shall be well, and all shall be well, in all manner of things, all shall be well"
~ Julian of Norwich
Lord Jesus, you remain with us until the end of time. Please help us to feel your loving presense in a special way today. Help us to trust you and be open to see and recieve your grace in our lives. May we have the strength to go forth and lovingly serve, even in our brokenness. We love you.
Amen
A picture taken at Elbow Falls May 2012 on the occasion of Sisters Mary Ann and Julie Ann visiting me! What a blessed visit we had with my family and friends. Thank you Lord!
Awe life is full of so many unexpected dissapointments. Most of the time in the past I would pretend I didn't care or "suck it up" which worked to a degree but inevatably causes a coldness or hardness to develop, and that ain't good! Ultimately I have been taught that by offering and thanking Jesus for dissapointments or things that don't go our way is the best way to use these otherwise hurtful and destructive dissapoinments. God is an absolute master at taking something bad and making good from it, always he transforms woes into joy and grace and it can be used in so many ways. Turning to Christ an being open to recieve indeed Chels! and offering everything in praise and thanks the good and the bad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sharing Kenny. You made me think of this song:
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4qPceadBMU