It has happened and is happening and will happen over and over again. The disappointment that can occur from putting all our trust and belief in a person rather than God Himself. The disappointment that hits hard when we find out the flavor of the month in church or a pop-culture phenom was just human with frailties, or the trendsetter in social circles who is a super-star one day and the next is a pariah of the worst kind.
The reason this happens is that our misplaced affections cause an undue pressure on the so-called super-stars to be more than human, or even god-like, whether they are in a church or a world setting. Jer. 17:5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
One of the things I often say to my students when we have worked together on a spiritual growth project is to make sure they are putting all their trust and dependency on the word of God and not in anyone or myself, because I will eventually disappoint them. It is not my intention to do so, but it will inevitably happen at some point and time in our relationship. I am human with as many frailties as the next person who needs a Savior.
On many occasions people have been hurt by the ones who helped influenced them into walking with the Lord, only to find out that they were just as human and subject to error as the next person. This is not just a church problem as it can happen at work, school, and in our homes. This has caused disillusionment and disappointment in life and leaves a bad taste in a person’s soul concerning leadership in general and life in particular.
The hurts could have been avoided by keeping our eyes on our Lord, Jesus. As the old hymn says,”Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.” Christ is the only perfect one and the only one who will never disappoint you because the Lord always has His best to give you. Jer. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
It sounded like a good plan at the time, but a dispute arose because of a difference of opinion. It is too bad that a great disappointment came out of a simple plan to do good for the good of the church. Acts 15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.
This is the last time we hear of Barnabas. The record of his great work and relationships with the brethren ends with a disappointing argument. We know that Paul eventually dealt with his differences concerning Mark, because Paul asks for him specifically in his later years of ministry. 2 Tim. 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
The greatest victories have always come when the Lord was at the helm of my heart. My humanity will eventually cause a disappointment in someone’s life. As I said, “I will disappoint you.” However, we do not need to remain disappointed. We can forgive and learn from the experience while remembering we are only human and in need of a Savior. Prov. 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee. With our Savior we can go forth and reach for the mark and work the plan He has laid out before us. Phil. 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
So true… God help us to keep our eyes on Him.
Dana