Disappointment

Disappointment is a powerful thing. But disappointment is based on perspective and our perspective is flawed most (or all!) of the time. We cannot see what is down the road for us. We have expectations for how we think things should operate. We forget that we are not the ones in control. This leads us to a path of disappointment. Disappointment makes us bitter and cynical. We become angry and frustrated instead of being content and trusting.

 Two years ago Sam took the test for lieutenant and scored high enough to be ranked 18th on the list. Through several promotions off the list, Sam had moved up to 7th position. The list is only good for two years, so we knew we were coming to the end of the opportunities for promotion. We had kind of given up on a promotion happening with this list and Sam had started look toward when the fire department would be offering the test again.

At the firehouse this week Sam was called to the chief's office to interview for a promotion to lieutenant. The higher-ups had fired the chief and promoted a new one from within the department. This had caused a ripple effect of people being promoted, which opened up four lietuenant's positions. The chief's office interviewed seven firefighters for the four positions. Sam and I thought the odds were pretty good he would get promoted. We found out last night that he did not get promoted. The department had promoted strictly based on ranking of the testing. With only 30 days left of the list being valid, Sam will not be making lieutenant. There probable won't be another promotion list created before he retires in eight years.

Sam has always believed that God was in control of this promotion. He has never swayed from that belief, and he still hasn't. He isn't disappointed, as I had thought he would have been. He strongly believes that he does not want to be somewhere that God doesn't want him. Sam has the right perspective. He is content with where God has him because he is trusting that God's perspective is better than his.

Our family verse is Psalm 104:16 "The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted." We chose this verese thirteen years ago when we moved to Lebanon near the Red Cedar Lake. Our farm is named the Cedars of Lebanon Farm. This verse spoke to Sam and I because it has so much meaning. The trees belong to the Lord. He fills them with sap, which is their life sustenance. The cedars of Lebanon are huge, strong trees, which is something we desire for our children; that they would be mighty for God. And lastly, God planted them. He puts us where we are; where we can grow the best.

Psalm 104 is a psalm of praise to God for all that He has done, and when we are resting in that there is no room for disappointment.