How does God want us to deal with the emotion we call disappointment?
Joseph Barsabbas was disappointed by Jesus. Joseph was a candidate to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the Twelve, but when the lot was cast it “fell on Matthias” (Acts 1:26). I’ll bet that was a blow.
The Bible never mentions Joseph again. But tradition says he later became the Bishop of Eleutheropolis (32 miles southwest of Jerusalem) and died a martyr. Assuming that’s accurate, imagine what Joseph may have learned about disappointment and how he might have counseled a disappointed young disciple twenty years later.
A very precious thing Jesus says to you, as a disciple, is this: “You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit . . .” (John 15:16).
But this also implies that Jesus will dis-appoint you many times—meaning, there are some appointments from which Jesus will remove you, and others that he simply will not grant to you.
At these times we must “not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). In Christ, God is pursuing you only with goodness and mercy (Psalm 23:6). His promise is this: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
When feeling disappointed, follow your emotions to their roots. You will find unbelief that requires the herbicide of God’s promises for you.
~Jon Bloom
