Disappointed in God?

“Why Lord?” “What have I done to deserve this?” Have you ever found yourself asking these questions?

Maybe you’re asking them right now. You felt that you had trusted God with your life’s plans and purposes, but he just didn’t do what you thought he would. And you are disappointed. So while you’re looking over your life and the baggage that you are carrying today, I’ll share some of mine. I wouldn’t want you to think that my life has been spared of what you may be going through.

My twenties brought a major life change. My greatest love was sports and the outdoors. Through school and college years, I lived for sports and competition of any kind. It was my life. But one night when I was 28 years old, while taking a break from intense study, I joined a group to play intramural basketball. One move destroyed one of my greatest joys. Following that, no more sports.

Right after that, another of my great loves was taken. During the time I was working on my doctoral studies in Basel, Switzerland, I lost my ability to read and do any research for my program.

So the two activities I loved most in life were snatched from me. At the age of thirty, I was facing life without a career and everything I valued. Talk about confusion and resentment—I lived them day and night. I wallowed in them. For years.

Was I like Job? Or was I more like Jeremiah? How did God rescue me so that I can say with the Psalmist below?

Praise the Lord.

I will extol the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.

This Sunday, I will be preaching on “Disappointed in God?” and sharing in greater detail God’s power to rescue as well as his profound grace in all our lives. In addition to the Scripture verses above, we’ll also be looking at Jeremiah 20:7-10.

If you would like to share your rescue story or prayer request, I’d love to hear it. Looking forward to being in worship with you this Sunday.