“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
In the last devotional, I talked about how God told me ‘no’ when I wanted to pursue a master’s program. I wanted to elaborate a little more on that thought. At that point in my life, I was with the wrong guy. Had I gotten that master’s, I would’ve continued to stay in a relationship that God did not plan for me. At that point though, it was one of the biggest disappointments to me that I didn’t do the program. I can talk about it now and smile, but at that time, I was somewhat crushed. However, in the midst of that, I had hope. I knew God wouldn’t withhold good from me. He gives disappointments and blessings, and that’s what He did for me.
Pruning
So, that left one thing to do: come back home, which is exactly what I did. I got a teaching job locally, which was all a part of God’s plan. There were originally no job openings when I came back. There was no promising leads or anything, but He still put me right where He wanted me. That earlier disappointment turned into a great blessing, one that I do not regret. I loved the job He blessed me with tremendously, and it reassured me that teaching is a gift that He has blessed me with.
Nonetheless, God wasn’t finished pruning some weeds out of my garden, so to speak. I was supposed to get married in a little less than a year, but something wasn’t sitting right. I kept praying about it, and I knew God was telling me not to get married. That was an even harder pill for me to swallow though because I longed to have a family of my own. So, instead of breaking things off, I prayed that if the guy I was with was walking in deceit, God would reveal it to me… and He did. There was a lot of unfaithfulness there.
Blessings from Disappointments
Again, what seemed like a huge disappointment and life setback turned into one of the biggest blessings. That mistake would’ve hurt much more if I had found out after we said, “I do.” Thankfully, I had many people that lifted me up and prayer, and I did a lot of growing spiritually during this time. The growing and alone time I had with God also turned into a major blessing. He continued shaping me into the person that I needed to be for my husband. I’ll tell you, waiting is no fun. It’s a hard task on anyone, but, friend, my husband was well worth the wait. If I had to wait all over again, I would. I know without a doubt that the Lord created Jake specifically for me.
In Romans 8:28, it says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” All of those disappointments ended up being for my own good. God wasn’t going to let me settle for second best, and I can see that now. After having our first child, God called me home to be with my children, and He blessed my husband with a job to make this calling even possible. This was His plan for me all along, but I couldn’t see it at the time. I just had to trust Him through each setback and lean on Him. But oh, the blessings He has given me far outweigh any disappointment, and I know that as I look at my little family He has blessed me with.
He is Working While You Wait
Friend, if you find yourself disappointed, just know that He is working. If you find yourself waiting, know that He is still working. Sometimes, things might get quiet, and you wonder if He even hears your prayer, but He does. He loves you so much that He would never let you settle for second best. No, His plan for us is so much better than what we can imagine for ourselves. He truly gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him, so don’t worry. Your disappointments may turn out to be your biggest blessings. Just wait.
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