Tracie Miles
"For you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:5b (NIV)
I spent months working on it, with big expectations and high hopes. But in the blink of an eye, it was crushed. This reality tore into my heart like a jagged knife, ripping my dream into tiny little shreds. Disappointment was so great; it was difficult to process my feelings. I had worked tirelessly on this project and now I was not only feeling disappointment, but rejection.
Disappointment soon turned to irritation, then resentment. I didn't FEEL it was fair.
Why didn't God answer my prayers? Why had He placed a dream in my heart only to allow it to crumble? Why had He let this happen? Why me?
I knew I needed to have a good attitude and not give up, but I did not FEEL like doing that at all!
Questions continued to pummel my brain. What is the use? Why try again? If God didn't answer my prayer after all this time, why bother to keep trying?
You see, I allowed my feelings to overtake my mind, and let my FAITH take a back seat.
All I could think about was how this disappointment made me feel, instead of what God may be doing that my faith could not see. I felt things weren't fair, without remembering God's ways are best. I felt a longing for immediate results, instead of trusting God's timing is perfect.
I soon realized my feelings were getting in the way of my faith. So I went to Psalm 25 (NIV), and allowed the following verses to wash over my spirit.
Verse 1, "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;"
I felt discouraged, unworthy, hopeless, rejected. So I poured my feelings and my soul out to God. And He listened.
Verse 2, "…in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me."
God reminded me to trust Him, not a desire or a dream. Not the world's view of things. Not my abilities. Not my timeframe. Not my ideas. Just Him. I prayed about my enemies - intangible feelings such as self doubt, insecurities, frustration, and discouragement.
Verse 3, "No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse."
Regardless of whether or not my desires become a reality, I will not be put to shame, because God is my God. If His plans coincide with my dreams, I know He will keep His eternal promises.
Verses 4-5a, "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me,"
These words stopped me in my tracks. I began to think more rationally. Why have I been beating my head against a wall? Why have I been consumed with anxiety and frustration? Am I allowing God to direct my paths? God gently reminded me that He is the teacher; we are the students.
Verse 5b, "…for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."
If I put my hope in my own desires and abilities, I simply set myself up for failure. My only hope for joy and fulfillment comes from Christ alone. Hope can only be found in Him, not people, careers, husbands, children, church, financial success, a carefree life, or dreams that come true.
Disappointments will always happen. With God, however, we can turn those disappointments into God's appointments to trust Him. The first step is exercise our faith over our feelings.
Dear Lord, You know the hurt in my heart and the sting of disappointments I have experienced. Please help me trust You, instead of being consumed by feelings. Empower me with a faith that is stronger than my emotions. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Reinventing Your Rainbow by Tracie Miles
An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell
What to do in the W.A.I.T: Finding Contentment in God's Pauses and Plans (CD) by Wendy Pope
Visit Tracie’s blog
Love’s Perfect Plan, a free Everyday Life article, is a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness
Application Steps:
Consider the disappointments you have experienced recently, and ask God to help your faith be more powerful than your feelings.
Unpack Psalm 25:1-5 and apply it to your situation, with open ears to hear God's voice.
Reflections:
Am I allowing my feelings to guide my actions, or relying on my faith to help me move forward?
Have I asked God how He can use my disappointments to strengthen my faith in Him?
Have I sought God's direction in my situation?
Power Verses:
Psalm 78:7, "That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." (KJV)
"For you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:5b (NIV)
I spent months working on it, with big expectations and high hopes. But in the blink of an eye, it was crushed. This reality tore into my heart like a jagged knife, ripping my dream into tiny little shreds. Disappointment was so great; it was difficult to process my feelings. I had worked tirelessly on this project and now I was not only feeling disappointment, but rejection.
Disappointment soon turned to irritation, then resentment. I didn't FEEL it was fair.
Why didn't God answer my prayers? Why had He placed a dream in my heart only to allow it to crumble? Why had He let this happen? Why me?
I knew I needed to have a good attitude and not give up, but I did not FEEL like doing that at all!
Questions continued to pummel my brain. What is the use? Why try again? If God didn't answer my prayer after all this time, why bother to keep trying?
You see, I allowed my feelings to overtake my mind, and let my FAITH take a back seat.
All I could think about was how this disappointment made me feel, instead of what God may be doing that my faith could not see. I felt things weren't fair, without remembering God's ways are best. I felt a longing for immediate results, instead of trusting God's timing is perfect.
I soon realized my feelings were getting in the way of my faith. So I went to Psalm 25 (NIV), and allowed the following verses to wash over my spirit.
Verse 1, "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;"
I felt discouraged, unworthy, hopeless, rejected. So I poured my feelings and my soul out to God. And He listened.
Verse 2, "…in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me."
God reminded me to trust Him, not a desire or a dream. Not the world's view of things. Not my abilities. Not my timeframe. Not my ideas. Just Him. I prayed about my enemies - intangible feelings such as self doubt, insecurities, frustration, and discouragement.
Verse 3, "No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse."
Regardless of whether or not my desires become a reality, I will not be put to shame, because God is my God. If His plans coincide with my dreams, I know He will keep His eternal promises.
Verses 4-5a, "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me,"
These words stopped me in my tracks. I began to think more rationally. Why have I been beating my head against a wall? Why have I been consumed with anxiety and frustration? Am I allowing God to direct my paths? God gently reminded me that He is the teacher; we are the students.
Verse 5b, "…for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."
If I put my hope in my own desires and abilities, I simply set myself up for failure. My only hope for joy and fulfillment comes from Christ alone. Hope can only be found in Him, not people, careers, husbands, children, church, financial success, a carefree life, or dreams that come true.
Disappointments will always happen. With God, however, we can turn those disappointments into God's appointments to trust Him. The first step is exercise our faith over our feelings.
Dear Lord, You know the hurt in my heart and the sting of disappointments I have experienced. Please help me trust You, instead of being consumed by feelings. Empower me with a faith that is stronger than my emotions. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Reinventing Your Rainbow by Tracie Miles
An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell
What to do in the W.A.I.T: Finding Contentment in God's Pauses and Plans (CD) by Wendy Pope
Visit Tracie’s blog
Love’s Perfect Plan, a free Everyday Life article, is a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness
Application Steps:
Consider the disappointments you have experienced recently, and ask God to help your faith be more powerful than your feelings.
Unpack Psalm 25:1-5 and apply it to your situation, with open ears to hear God's voice.
Reflections:
Am I allowing my feelings to guide my actions, or relying on my faith to help me move forward?
Have I asked God how He can use my disappointments to strengthen my faith in Him?
Have I sought God's direction in my situation?
Power Verses:
Psalm 78:7, "That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." (KJV)
Labels: God's Perspective, Overcoming, Patience, Perseverance, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Time with God, Trusting God, Waiting On God, Walking in Faith
9 Comments:
Just what i needed to hear for today... Jesus is super amazing !!!!
wow, I got up this morning,...4 a.m . no less...to a huge dissapointment...wondering why,
I don't get it...
why now, why me,...
the questions, the frustrations all pushing their way to the front for attention...
stopped in my tracks, I turned to You, "my God" for a Word,
anything...that might make sense of everything...
and once again, your sense of timing and words of encouragement amaze me,
...your little tiny girl living in a little tiny city across this great big old world...
to little ole' me ...
You have spoken ... wow again...
You're still here, You haven't moved...I don't get it,...but I trust You...
You get it...
You are it...I can leave it here now, on these pages..."my hope...is in You"...I still don't understand...but You do...Wow!
God is so awesome!
A friend of mine from New York (I live in FL) sent this to me and WOW, did it hit home!
God always speaks to us in our time of need. All we need to do is take the time to listen.
If we don't listen, how can we hear him?
Blessings to all.
Yet another timely love letter from God to my heart. "Anxiety and frustration" have been overwhelming me in my job---a job I prayed for, and feel blessed to have. I have let those feelings as well as worries about inadequacy and lack of trust in my abilities to do this job, crowd out the peace and security of knowing that I am exactly where God wants me to be. I have let my fears speak louder than my faith. Thank you for sharing and reminding me that God is faithful.
Thanks for this excellent devotion. Why do we so often allow our feelings to torpedo our faith? I pray that I will take this devotion in my heart this week.
PERFECT for today!!!
Just what I needed to hear. My feelings have been hurt and I wanted to just quit because I feel I am not appreciated. Thank you for reminding me that God has put me here and wants me to stick with it.
A timely message once again ( how and why do I write it off as chance any time this happens?) It surely can't be (and that scares me a little! Still on the cautiously feeling way along road and not fully surrendered/trusting) Hugely overcome by feelings, emotions, disappointment and feeling entirely useless.Sore but think God might be telling me something
When I got up yesterday morning, I had no idea how much this devotion was going to mean to me. I have been in Ultrasound school for 2 years and it has been a long road for me. As a ministers wife and mother of 3 busy boys, the challenges have overwhelming at times. I recenty finished the school part, but still had 400 hours of clinicals that I complete by Dec. Anyway, the schedule was set and I was muttling through this last little bit when the call came and I was not going to be able to go to a clinical site anymore. I was devasted! When I read the devo, I had no idea how badly I was going to need those words from God. It never seizes to amaze me how God works. I went back and read through this again and as I prayed through it, this peace came over. God is good and he keeps His promises!
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