Disappointed by people?  That’s what we read about today in our study.  Well, the thing I have been realizing lately myself is this: when people disappoint or hurt us or anger us or annoy us…our dispute is not with them.  Our dispute is not with the driver who cuts us off, the friend who lets us down (again!), the loved one who inflicts the deepest wound.  Our dispute is with their Maker and our Maker.  I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted (Job 42:2).  He has a greater plan for our sanctification that includes these people: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another ( Prov 27:17). He wants us to be conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). And He has a greater plan for His Kingdom than our individual comfort. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10). He wants us to see these people as our assignment: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us (2 Cor 5:18-20).  We must trust that the Creator of the Universe is able to minister both to us and through us. He is good and He is for our good (Romans 8:28).  He will equip us to do His will and He comfort us along the way.  But the wonderful promise to focus on from our study is this, God said, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Is 41:10) – this is one of my all time favorites! 🙂

Disappointed by people? Look for another angle in the relationship…look for the ministry opportunity – don’t miss the chance to serve God by serving the people in your life.