Hope Beyond DisappointmentSample

The One the Builders Rejected – A Biblical Trend

There is a biblical trend that has been the underlying theme for many sermons, books, and motivational talks—the idea that God takes the despised, forgotten, and rejected, and uses them for His Glory. We see it in Abraham and Sarah’s waiting season, Joseph’s imprisonment, David’s escape from Saul, Job’s tremendous loss, Esther’s rise from orphan to queen, and even Jesus, the rejected Messiah, who became the Savior of the world.

Over and over again in Scripture, the idea is clear: God uses disappointments and frustrations for our good and for His Glory. First Corinthians 1:27 puts it best: "He uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise."

In God’s economy, things don’t have to line up perfectly in your life for Him to use you mightily. I know it’s easy to understand this in theory, but harder to apply when we’re in the middle of spiritual warfare or facing natural disappointment.

Still, it remains true. If no one else says it, let me be the first to encourage and congratulate you on your level of self-awareness, even in starting this devotional. It means you’re in touch with your reality while holding on to a Supernatural Hope in the unseen—it’s a Divine Juggling Act that takes faith.

I believe God is honored in these “yes, but” moments, much like those faced by Job, Daniel, and countless others—yes, these are my circumstances, but God is faithful.

As we wrap up this Devotional, I encourage you to keep these Truths in mind:

1. You are never alone. And that’s not just a feel-good message—it is the Truth of God’s Covenant, established over and over again in Scripture, starting in the Garden of Eden and reaffirmed in Jesus' Prayer for us in John 17. God sees you, He knows you, and He is with you.
2. Your current season of disappointment is not the end-all-be-all. If you think long and hard, you’ll realize that during your most joyful seasons, you didn’t anticipate this current season. There was so much good happening that whatever is shaking your faith now was likely out of the realm of possibility in your mind. Well, what if the opposite is also true? What if the things weighing on your mind right now will one day be just a faint memory? Isaiah 54:4, among many other Scriptures, assures us that this is certainly the case. As cliché as it might sound, remind yourself: this too shall pass.
3. God’s greatest desire for your transformation is for it to serve as a reminder of His Mercy and Kindness. He desires His Glory, and it is a privilege for it to be evidenced in our lives. We remember Job and Daniel, not for any other reason than what God did in and through them. I encourage you, even though it might be difficult, to keep your eyes fixed on the eternal implications of what God is doing in you. Yes, this season will pass, but to be among those that God uses in this generation is a greater blessing than any of us can imagine.

While you may be disappointed—and it's important to be honest about that—the truth remains: you are chosen and set apart for His Glory. Stay faithful, for your greatest victory is just ahead.