I recently disappointed someone. We could sit here and argue over whether or not I truly messed up, but the reality is that regardless of my intent the result was them feeling let down by me, and I hate letting people down. I’m actually not sure what feeling is worse: disappointing someone or being the one that is disappointed. Both feelings are, in my opinion, incredibly unpleasant and unwanted. Yet, as we go through life we end up being on both sides of disappointment a fair amount of times.
As I’ve though about disappointment I’ve thought about how often I must disappoint God. Every time I bend the truth, ignore someone in need, take the easy way out, hoard my time, money, and resources, or choose the selfish path I disappoint God. See, God did not create any of us to be sinners, but rather to be masterpieces. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10:
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Here are two things I think we can learn about disappointing God from that verse.
- Instead of disappointing God by sinning, we do the good things he created us to do. God didn’t just make us to live an ordinary live, but to live a life that makes a profound impact. He formed each of us to make a positive impact on the world, and it is our responsibility to make that impact. Take a moment to examine your life today. In what ways are you doing the good things God has made you to do? In what ways are you falling short? Choose to cut out the bad, and to add in as much good as possible.
- When we disappoint God, he never holds a grudge: This is how God is so radically different from us humans. He loves and cares for us unconditionally. No matter how many times we fail to live up to his standards he continues to forgive and love us. When we disappoint God there are two steps we always need to take: we ask forgiveness and sincerely work at changing our ways. While we often see the act of admitting our wrongs as repentance, the truth is that it is these two steps together that actually equal repentance. True repentance is confessing our sins and choosing to change our sinful behaviors. When we are truly repentant God does not hold a grudge or constantly rub our wrongs in our face, but instead creates us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
This week let us all strive to be the masterpieces God created us to be, and when we do inevitably disappoint God let us be quick to truly repent of our actions by confessing and changing our ways.
