When Disappointment Dulls the Heart 

Luke 24:25

New King James Version

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

For Encouragement

Breaking News!

“The tomb is empty!” the women reported.

Ruffled, Peter and John sprinted to the tomb and returned, puzzled. Unable to make sense of these things, Cleopas and another disciple talked along as they journeyed to Emmaus.

Jesus interrupted their conversation (Lk. 24:15-19), but they could not recognize Him, just as Mary Magdalene didn’t, mistaking the resurrected Christ for a gardener at the tomb (Jn. 20:14-15). How could they, when the dark cloud of disappointment had eclipsed their vision (Lk. 24:21)?

Thank God for His grace! Dining with their stranger in Emmaus, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and gave it to them (30). Their eyes opened, and they recognized their Risen Lord. But Jesus disappeared from their sight (31). Overwhelmed with joy, Cleopas and his friend returned to Jerusalem and shared the good news with the others (35).

You may be like the two men on the Road to Emmaus. Death has snatched your loved one from you. Maybe something has shaken your position in the office, or a bad business deal threatens your financial stability. Your spouse has shattered your world with the announcement of the end of your marriage, or is it your daughter who told you she is pregnant and moving in with her boyfriend? Whatever it is, your path has become too foggy to navigate. The weight is overbearing, and you can’t recognize your Master again, nor hear Him in prayer.

The good news is that Jesus will never leave you to wallow in your disappointment. His gracious hand will reach out to you to encourage and give you hope. Things may be difficult now, but God, who always comes through for His patient children, will soon favor you if you persevere. In His perfect time, He will clear the fog and lift the weight from your back, and a joyful wonder will replace the gloom. Then you will recognize how your heart burned within you as He spoke to you through the Scriptures (Lk. 24:32). That’s how good God is.

So, when you get ready to move on your initiative, step back, for that is when God is right at your door (1 Sam. 13:8-11). The path gets darkest and the weight heaviest when divine favor is right at your door and ready to enter your situation. So, don’t defer to fear and let it overcome you with impatience (Isa. 40:31).

Pray with Me

I thank you, heavenly Father, for patience, which is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Help me remain joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and fervent in prayer (Rom. 12:11-12). Enable me, Lord, to soar like the eagle to heights beyond the fiercest storms, in Christ Jesus my Savior. Amen.