Disappointment or Divine Appointment?

Have you ever thought about the difference between being disappointed and missing your divine appointment? My guess is that you may not have. I hadn’t either until one day I was talking to the Lord about my disappointment concerning something. After I went through my list of why I was disappointed, I heard the quiet still voice of the Holy Spirit say: “Joanne, you are disappointed because you have missed your divine appointment.” What? I remember thinking that can’t be God’s voice! But I sat with those words for a moment and then as I am apt to do, I said: ” Lord, is this your voice?” I knew in an instant when He led me to Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I am God. One of my favorite Scriptures indicating that God is in the midst of my circumstances, that God has a river of life that runs through my life bringing me hope that keeps me from falling. The text actually refers to a river in Jerusalem, the city of God. There was no river there but God Himself was in their midst— He was the river!

Hope Deferred

Proverbs 13:12 reads: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. When our hope is postponed– when our dreams are unfilled or our desires are on hold, our heart grows weary and a weary heart can become sick. BUT GOD. If we hold on to the disappointment it will prevent our hearts from staying healthy. What will help our spiritual hearts to grow healthy? So glad you asked. Just like our physical hearts we must exercise, eat right, and be intentional to take care of our health. Our spiritual hearts need to be strengthened in God’s Word, through prayer and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and not all of the other voices that threaten to crowd Him out. Some of the other voices will tell you there is not hope; give up; why bother? God’s voice will say: My strength is perfected in your weakness; when you are weak, I am strong (in you). 

Divine Appointment

If we miss our divine appointments with God (spending time with Him) our disappointments will crowd out His voice of hope. God always brings us conviction, encouragement, hope and builds our faith. Our meetings with God insure that when the disappointments of life come (and they are sure to come) we will be filled with His Presence, and His Words of hope will combat the other voices. Proverbs 13:12 indicates that hope deferred will make our heart sick, but a longing fulfilled will bring us life. True life can only be found in Him. Anything else will disappoint. As you wait on the Lord to fulfill your dreams, first seek Him. Your spiritual heart will stay healthy and your perspective will be His.