Placing Our Confidence in Christ
By Ashley Moore
"Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God." - Psalm 146:3-5, NLT
Has someone ever disappointed you? For example, did you get married on the promise of perpetual happiness, but as the years pass, your marriage is more a source of frustration than joy? Or perhaps you started having children hoping that seeing them grow would bring you ultimate fulfillment, but instead, you've found yourself worried sick over them more often than you'd like to admit. Or maybe you have this one difficult family member, and you pray and pray that the Lord would change this person, then you could finally be at peace. But God doesn't seem to be listening. I've been there, and even though I know I shouldn't, I repeatedly return to placing my hope in outcomes and imperfect people. So here are two reminders for when we are disappointed with others.
People Will Fail Us
One time I landed a great position that put me in proximity to someone who, in my eyes, was very well-connected. They knew powerful and resourceful people and were well-liked. I just knew working with this person would help me to reach my goals. And I even wrongly thought God had allowed me to make this connection for this purpose! But things went sour for multiple reasons, and I felt God was asking me to step away. The transition out of the situation held many lessons, but the greatest was that God would fulfill His purposes with or without this connection. I had mistakenly put my hope in a human relationship, but God was prompting me to return to Him.
My pastor says, "God sometimes allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves." This means sometimes God may allow our hopes to be dashed so that we can renounce our misplaced devotion and trust Him more. And by doing so, we will have more joy because God never fails! Certain relationships and outcomes may not pan out how we expect them to, but we can trust that our hope is safe when we look to God as our source of hope and assurance.
Jesus is Better
After a lingering disagreement with a family member, I pulled back from my small group gatherings. The leader sensed something was off and reached out to me to see if everything was okay. I caved, admitting everything was far from okay. I spewed the details of my dilemma to this trusted friend. And after intently listening and assuring me I was not alone in all my feelings, she reminded me of a simple but profound truth. She said, "Even if this situation were perfect, something would still not be quite right! Jesus is better." And she was right.
We can hope in Jesus because, unlike people, he doesn't change. He is exactly who Scripture says He is, yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). He knows us intimately. He loves and cares for us more than any other relationship we will ever experience (Psalm 139:15-16). People won't always make us happy, but God fills us with unending joy when we put our hope in His mighty and gentle hands.
We will inevitably end up disappointed in our relationships with others at some point. They won't act the way we think they should or won't fulfill our needs for love like we hope they would. So, we need to remind ourselves and each other of these two truths: people will fail us, but Jesus is better! The Bible reminds us our help doesn't ultimately come from limited human beings who will eventually turn to dust, no matter how powerful they are on Earth. Instead, we can experience unending joy when we look to God for help and place our hope in Him (Psalm 146:3-5).
Intersecting Life and Faith:
Do you have a relationship or circumstance where you place your hope? Journal a few verses about who God is and why He is the safest place to put your hope.
Further Reading:
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/NicoElNino
Ashley Moore is a writer and host of be the two™podcast. She is known for her relatability and for passionately writing and speaking about mental, emotional, and relational health from a biblical worldview. She has written for Kingdom Edge Magazine, Guideposts, Crosswalk, The Secret Place, enLIVEn, The Bubbling Brook and more. If Ashley isn't writing, you can find her with her husband, three children, and two floppy-eared Goldens on their south Georgia farmland. The best way to connect with Ashley is to grab a free devotional or Bible study and join her newsletter at free.ashleynicolemoore.com.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
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