Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long? Psalm 6:2-3 (NIV)
Doubts that arise from the heart can’t be resolved by taking a class or making a commitment. These doubts come from disappointed hopes and shattered dreams. Maybe you know these all too well—the pain of expecting great things but finding life doesn’t turn out how you wanted.
- Your kids have grown up, but none of them love the Lord. You wonder if you were a good mother or father. They are all successful, but none has the one thing that matters.
- You long to be married. Your deepest pain is that you want to be known. You have many friends, but you are not the most important person in anyone’s life.
- You are nearing retirement, and you have spent the best years of your life serving faithfully in ministry on a modest income. You saved for retirement, but the fund has recently plummeted, leaving you with a tenth of what you expected.
- You long for a child. You have rejoiced many times with others who have received this gift, but you feel the pain that it has never happened for you.
- You feel like you don’t fit in anywhere. You always feel like an outsider. You’ve come to dread parties and gatherings. With every day that passes, you feel more miserable.
- Your spouse suffers from a health condition, so your marriage will never be what either of you hoped for. The marriage has settled into a deeply disappointing pattern.
When you are plunged into the deep end of personal pain, you may ask questions you never imagined would enter your mind. If that happens, know that some of the greatest men and women of faith have been there before you.
What disappointed hopes or shattered dreams do you find in your own heart today?
