How to Handle DisappointmentsSample

God Ends His Days on a Sunrise

There is a prevailing fifth truth that the creation story teaches. The Bible says that after God created light and separated day from the night, there was evening and there was morning of the first day. This phrase “there was evening and there was morning” is repeated six times throughout the creation record. This tells us that God’s days start at night and end in the morning. God does not end His days on the sunset; He ends them on the sunrise. 

This is a very important truth. God never ends what He started with darkness. The Bible is the only book that has a beginning, a middle, and a new beginning. There is always a sunrise at the end of God’s story. He is not a god of death. God is the God of resurrection. That is why the sun always outlasts the storm. The Song of Songs beautifully describes this truth when it says that the winter is past, the storm is over, the flowers appear on the earth again, and the time for singing has come. 

Another New Testament story depicts a family who thought their days ended in the evening. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, got severely ill. Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters, sent a message to Jesus asking Him to come and heal their brother. The Bible says that Jesus loved this family, but when He heard the news of Lazarus’ sickness, He lingered for two days before going to visit them. Lazarus died and was already buried before Jesus got to the family. Lazarus’ sisters were very disappointed with Jesus. They told him that if he had arrived on time, Lazarus would have lived. In the sisters’ eyes, all hope was gone. They could not understand why Jesus had not prevented the death of their brother. 

This story teaches us a powerful principle about the nature of our Heavenly Father. He is not a preventionist. Like any good parent, God does not prevent his children from getting hurt. Sometimes, He allows us to go through disappointments so we can learn and grow through these experiences. Lazarus’ story did not end with death. Jesus resurrected him. The story of Lazarus’ resurrection four days after he was dead and buried has served as a source of encouragement to believers for centuries. Lazarus’ family did not enjoy their experience while it was happening. However, when Jesus resurrected their brother, they received the greatest gift possible. They received assurance that with God no situation is hopeless. 

Through the five principles described in this devotional, you can know that your disappointment is not permanent. You can trust God. His stories never end with death. They end with resurrection. Your days will end on a sunrise. 

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