DODGING THE DARTS OF DAILY DISAPPOINTMENT

I’m sitting here at the computer listening to the strains of “Sesame Street” wafting in from the lounge room when suddenly I hear Yoda from “Star Wars” on the programme. Being an avid fan of the Star Wars franchise I leap from my workstation and into the lounge-room captivated by the idea that Yoda, that delightfully wise and witty Jedi Master, is featuring on my four year old’s favourite T.V show.

But, alas, I was deceived, the voice was the same but the character was decidedly different. It was Grover, a silly, hairy, blue puppet (with no ears) who regularly features on the programme, not the spiritual, cute, hairy, green puppet with magnificent ears that I hoped was featuring. Engulfed in disappointment I lumbered back to my workstation to report on this shattering experience.

Disappointment is an interesting emotion. I realize as I write this that it is probably the most common emotion that I experience. Not only do I experience it daily, but I experience it many times a day. It is now 9.05 am and I have been up since 6am. Already I can recount five incidents so far this morning that have disappointed me:

On waking - the realization that after completing a twelve hour shift (on her day off) that it was now going to be five more days before I had an opportunity to spend any quality time with my wife.

After preparing omelettes for the children for breakfast my seven year old decided that she wanted warm rice and milk.

Our thirteen year old ate for breakfast the lunch I had prepared for my wife to take to work.

My wife worked out the actual amount of money she would take home after tax despite all the hours she had worked this week.

I walked into the garage to discover the mess the children had made yesterday after having friends over to play.

All of these examples are petty and very common place – I know, but that’s the point: disappointment is a common-place response to petty situations. It is a recurring emotion that, for many, might take place dozens of times a day.

I walk in a haze of disappointment every day. Pathetic isn’t it? I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I’m probably one of the few who recognize it. We all get stabbed by daily darts of disappointment. How do we cope? How do we survive?

I thank the Lord for my faith. Satisfaction is the antithesis of disappointment (dissatisfaction) and true Christian faith has the uncanny ability to provide deep, personal and spiritual satisfaction – putting worldly disappointment in it’s true, diminutive perspective. Consequently, I’m defined by my faith not by my disappointments.

But what of the rest of the world?

I was talking to an unsaved acquaintance the other day and the conversation struggled to rise above the dissatisfaction and disappointments of his daily experience. He has no faith, his life is defined by his disappointments. I know Christians who, despite their faith, are similarly defined. When our worldly dissatisfactions overwhelm our faith we have some serious spiritual readjusting to do.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Father God, I thank you from the deepest parts of my being for the gift of Christ’s sacrifice. A sacrifice that saves me from being defined by the disappointments of life and delivers me into the hope of a future in your presence and the satisfaction of knowing that I am on the path intended for me…. The road to Glory. Continue to strengthen my conviction Lord, and to find the determination to continue to guide others on to the same path. In the name of your precious son Jesus. Amen.