Finding Joy in our Disappointment

I am not talking about a superficial disappointment, like being disappointed with the presents we were given or disappointed with how our decorations turned out, or that amazon didn’t get our presents to our house in time for Christmas morning.

Those are real emotions as well, but there is a deeper sense of disappointment that can come upon us at Christmas that really stems from an awareness that something just isn’t right and/or something is missing.

The bibles speaks to our disappointment with a strong and, what can sound unsympathetic, command:

Philippians 4:4 NLT

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

But Paul isn’t telling us to be happy always, that would be artificial.

He is telling us to rejoice.

See our happiness or disappointment is based on circumstances in our life.

When things go well we are happy, when things go poorly we can be disappointed.

But joy is something that exists outside our earthly circumstances.

Joy exists in the realm of the Prince of Peace.

He really is the source of true joy.

Who is this Prince of Peace?

1) He is our SOVEREIGN KING.

Isaiah doesn’t call Jesus our “King of Peace”, but he does intentionally use royal, authoritative language to describe the child who would be born.

Beyond that, the description of the child helps us understand the true nature of His names.

“The government will be on his shoulders...”

Isaiah 9:7 ESV

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

“On the throne of David and over his kingdom.”

That isn’t just a prince waiting for His opportunity to be king, that is the one in charge, in power, calling the shots.

The Magi speak of Him as the “King of the Jews” in Matthew 2:2.

This title, and the verses around it, point to the sovereignty of God in Jesus.

There is absolutely nothing that happens in the universe that is outside of God’s influence and authority. As King of kings and Lord of lords, God has no limitations.

Nothing that happens in our lives is outside of the power and purposes of God.

How does this point us to joy?

Because we are forces to find joy outside our ability to control and outside our circumstances.

We are forced then to...

Find joy in His LIMITLESS POWER.

When we are disappointed that we didn’t accomplish something we had hoped to accomplish.

We can and must find joy in knowing that God has us where we are for a purpose.

The Prince of Peace is on His throne and He is accomplishing all the He has planned for us and in us.

Our joy is not determined by our ability or our accomplishments.

When we are frustrated that things didn’t work out like we were planning.

We can and must find joy in knowing that God’s plans are never thwarted and they are higher than our.

Job 42:2 ESV

2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Our joy is not determined by our ability to plan being coming to fruition or our dreams becoming reality.

Isaiah 46:9–10 ESV

9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

The Prince of Peace is our sovereign king where joy is firmly planted in His limitless power.

Joy comes not from the ever-changing, ever-evolving circumstances of the world.

Joy grows from faith firmly planted in the soil of our sovereign king.

2) He is our FAITHFUL KING.

One of the realities of disappointment is that we expected things to turn out differently than they did; or we expected to get something we didn’t.

That is a reality Paul points to in Romans 8:19-22

Romans 8:19–22 ESV

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Paul is pointing to a fundamental disappointment that we all feel.

The earth is groaning because it is broken and there is a promise that is waiting to be fulfilled.

All the language of Isaiah 9 is pointing to the promise that one day the Messiah will come and the brokenness we all feel with be made right.

That hope is rooted in this Prince of Peace.

Jesus is the fulfillment of that glorious promise.

But that promise is only fulfilled in part now.

But we can be certain that it will be fully completed when He returns.

He is the Prince of PEACE, the one who hold the power to bring wholeness and restoration to all that is broken in our world.

So where to we find joy in this?

Find joy in His CERTAIN PROMISES.

Do you know His promises?

If you don’t then you are likely looking to empty promises for fill you up.

When we look to things outside of God for fulfillment we are investing our hearts in things that will never pay out a dividend of joy.

God is a promise making, promise keeping God.

And our Prince of Peace is His greatest promise.

3) He is our GOOD KING.

James reminds us of a truth ought to fill us with joy.

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God is the best gift giver that has ever been.

And Jesus is the greatest gift ever given.

God becoming man on Christmas is a tangible and powerful witness to the goodness of God.

The Prince of Peace that Isaiah announces is a good king.

Everything He does, Isaiah says, will spring from justice and righteousness.

He is good and goodness flows from Him.

What the baby brother of Jesus wants us to realize and find in is that our Lord is good and richly provides for His people.

Find joy in His PERFECT PROVISION.

In this season of giving, we can fight the feeling of discouragement knowing that our God perfectly provides for His people.

It might not be in the way we want or think that He should, but it is in the way that we need.

When we are tempted to dwell on the things we do not have and become disappointed and bitter, may we turn our eyes and our thoughts to the good things God provide, and the pure goodness of our God.

There is a GOOD reason for why God hasn’t granted our prayers or has allowed our course to be changed.

Don’t be discouraged, don’t lose heart.

He is sovereign, he is faithful, and He is good.

May our Joy overflow in Jesus

Romans 15:13 CSB

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

May this be our prayer for one another today.

It is my prayer for you and for myself.

That God would fill me with joy that is able to see past the trials of life.

That I would be able to see beyond the temporary happiness I think is going to fulfill me.

That I may see the emptiness of my pursuits of satisfaction in this world.

And that I, and you, might be filled with joy and peace because I believe in a God who is sovereign, faithful, and good.

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