How Do We Deal with Disappointment?

It’s Holy Week and I make a practice of taking the time to recognize each day from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. From that triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, where thousands were welcoming Jesus, waiving Palm branches and shouting, “hosanna!” hope was born that the messiah had finally arrived to set the captive free. Very soon the people learned that Jesus was a man of peace, not war. And a few days later many spit on him, abused him physically, deserted him, and ultimately killed him via crucifixion. What a horrible downturn of events in just a few days. It was the ultimate disappointment, especially for the disciples of Jesus; those who had given up everything to travel and learn from his miraculous works and teachings. The story of Holy Week is a real disappointment if we view it through human lenses of what we think should have happened to Jesus. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right, it wasn’t pretty or civil, or even humane. It was very wrong, in every way, if we examine it in our small mindedness. We must see the whole picture with a spiritual mind. We all face disappointments regularly, though I’m confident in saying not much can compare with the tragic disappointment that engulfed an entire society over 2000 years ago. But here’s where the Holy Week story should give us peace. Jesus was put to death in a horrific way, but in the supernatural eyes of God, it was preordained. Only after knowing the Easter story do we know that from the ashes of death come the roses of success. Your life is like that too. Your Easter Sunday morning is coming. God is doing supernatural things in your life, though you may not see them yet.