We all face disappointments in our lives. How we respond to those is very important. The Apostle Paul in the Bible shares how he often saw his personal disappointments as opportunities for God to use him to bless others, in a different way when he said…”Pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.” – Ephesians 6: 19-20 ( NLB).

Paul saw his disappointments as God’s appointments for something better to further God’s purpose and plan in his life. That is a great attitude for us to have as well. What we may consider a detour or inconvenience may be the Lord simply organizing things a different way to do something much more important.

I remember one particular day when I was delayed in traffic while making my rounds visiting people in the hospitals and I was way behind in “my” schedule. As I walked into the hospital lobby, an unknown person approached me crying and said to me : ” You don’t know me but God sent you here. We just got some bad news about my child and I was so upset I left the room asking God to send us someone to pray with us. I recognized you from your church’s TV ministry, can you come pray with our family.?”… Wow, I was overwhelmed at how God placed me there at that precise time to minister to that family because I was running late on “my” schedule. After praying with them that day, I followed up with them later and was thankful to find out that their son had recovered and was home doing much better.

Are your dealing with delays and disappointments today? Don’t give up or give in to discouragement. Look at them as opportunities for God to do something different and special. Don’t limit God to just your personal plan and wishes . As has been in my past experience, I have discovered that often our disappointments can lead us eventually to God’s appointment for something much better, if we will simply continue to trust Him and continue to do and be our best. It may take a while, but in the meantime we can not go wrong by continuing to have faith in the Lord. We can trust in Him, even when we don’t understand everything. God reminds us : ” For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, My ways declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8-9 ( NIV).