What a shame!


In Genesis 2, we find Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the bible says that they were both naked and they were not ashamed.   That word ‘ashamed’ also implies disappointment. 

Adam and Eve had no expectations: of each other, of God, or of anyone else!  They were completely free to be themselves and walk and talk with God without disappointment or shame. These days though, we often feel disappointment.   Disappointment is the sadness or displeasure caused by the non-fulfilment of your hopes, dreams or expectations.

Today we have expectations that we set on ourselves, on God and on others, and we are constantly disappointed when things don’t happen the way we think they should.

How do we deal with disappointment?   We have to change our expectations.   Firstly, we have to liberate others and ourselves from our perceptions and standards.  The only person we can put expectations on is God. We need to learn to use only word-based expectations; God will continue to love us; God will provide for his children; God heals; God is good; God is slow to anger and rich in mercy; God is faithful.  God absolutely NEVER breaks these expectations, because he cannot lie, and his word endures.

In Roman’s 12:2 it says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we can discern the good, acceptable and perfect will of God for our lives. 

Disappointment causes us to become hard hearted, to withdraw, to become critical and sceptical.  When we give others and ourselves permission just to be, without pressuring ourselves or other people to meet our expectations, we will find freedom.

When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the bible says ‘they knew they were naked’. Before that moment they had still been naked but now they saw it and in their own hearts decided it was a bad thing and tried to cover up who they really were.  They suddenly looked at themselves and they experienced shame and disappointment in who they were created to be.

Today if you are disappointed or ashamed of who God created you to be, you have looked at yourself, instead of at God.  You have fixed your hopes and expectations on yourself, and you need to look back to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith to be set free.

Comments

  1. Jean Van FrachenAugust 24, 2019 at 6:41 AM

    Abi, today your blog made me cry, not tears of disappointed but of Joy, because I want the faith to be set free......Thank you

    ReplyDelete

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