Recently I was speaking at an orphan care event for Florida Baptist Children’s Homes and Orphan’s Heart. Some of my heroes were in the audience….foster parents! Afterwards we chatted about the kids in their home. I ask a ton of questions. One of my favorites is “What’s for dinner tonight?” The foster mom quickly responded, “Oh that’s easy! Today was disappointment day so it’s Mac and Cheese for dinner!” The puzzled look on my face prodded her to add, “We always keep Mac and Cheese in the house for those days when mom doesn’t show up and visitation day turns into disappointment day.”
That was a big lump-in-the-throat story for me. Hard to swallow how any parent could miss a visitation day.
But, thank God for the mac and cheese. Comfort food. How thoughtful and tender hearted of that foster mom to keep mac and cheese in the house…just in case! It makes sense to me…just thinking about my mama’s bisquits with tomato gravy or turnip greens and cornbread can turn my bad day into the best day ever! (Yes, I am from the South where we do comfort food.)
I ponder how the disciples felt that Friday when Jesus died. Disappointment day? Definitely. Nothing on Martha or Mary’s menu could have taken away that gut punch moment when Jesus died. Yes, He even told them in advance that this was the cup he would drink. It just didn’t make sense even on Saturday as they had tons of questions. Disillusion day? For sure. Nothing was as they thought it would be. Disenchantment day. Yes, a major let down.
Disappointment days have all kinds of looks: A blunt email, an overdraft notice, a rejection letter, positive test results, a cancelled visit, an indifferent text, and the list goes on.
Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble [aka: Disappointment Days]”….and then he said, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.[aka: Resurrection Day!]
Resurrection Day: God shows up. He DOES NOT disappoint. In fact, He makes my disappointment days so much easier to swallow with comfort food from His word.
Remember:
1. God’s plan is good. Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 38:17
2. Your disappointment is temporary but your reward will be eternal.
Hebrews 12:2; II Corinthians 4:17
3. Rejoice and give thanks in your disappointment. I Thessalonians 5:18; Phil. 4:4
4. Don’t give up. James 1:3-4; Hebrews 10:36
From the heart….
Julie