by Leon

Part 2

Life often feels like it never goes according to our plan. We by nature, possess a strong yearning to strive and to be ambitious. By itself, ambition is not a bad thing in our lives, it can be very biblical with the right motivation. However, our earthly nature, (the nature we struggle with daily) often pollutes pure ambition.

The heart of pure ambition was born with this commandment.

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” – Genesis 1:28 

We are ambitious creatures designed to go out and subdue the world. Yet, this ambition was meant to be subject under God. We may be designed to subdue the world, but we are more importantly designed to have a relationship with the One who created it. When we fully come to understand that, our ambition is put into a better perspective. Nevertheless, talking about ambition isn’t the focal point of this post. Rather, it’s about the times when our lives and our goals and our ambitions end up falling through the cracks. Sometimes circumstances just don’t end the way we want, hope, or expect.

In the last post (part 1) we discussed how God can make all things work in our favor. And in this post, I want to reflect on how to deal with the hurt that may have come from a circumstance not turning out the way we wanted. We know that God made a promise to work those circumstances out for our good (Romans 8:28) But that doesn’t mean we are immune to the hurt that may come with it.

One of the first two steps I take in overcoming failed expectations is acknowledgment and surrender. I acknowledge that God has something better in store for me. I acknowledge that while it may not look especially positive, His promise is that all things WILL work together for good.

I acknowledge that my understanding of every circumstance is limited.

^“ For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

The next step I take is surrendering to Him. Our relationship with God is a constant surrender as we let Him take Lordship over us. I surrender what I may have wanted and accept that He wants something different for my life.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:9-10

Finally, I ask God to help me let go. To create in me a new heart willing to accept what I wanted wasn’t the best He had for me. I pray that He helps me to accept the things I cannot change.

^“ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10

There is a saying “Life is your oyster you can achieve anything you want.” Well, that’s a lie. This world is imperfect and temporary. We will have failures and times where we don’t succeed. We will fail people, and they will likewise fail us. But I am grateful to have a relationship with the One who created this world and to have a Father who will take my hand and guide me on the right path. We may want an outcome we cannot always have. We are not assured constant worldly success, but we can be assured of God’s promises, and that His will is best for our life.

The promise we look forward to.

^“ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4