But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
When leaving his disciples, Jesus tried to lift their spirits by telling them to “be of good cheer.” He wanted to encourage them by giving them his courage-heart. He did not want them to be in fear or downhearted.
These words have been a great comfort to me during times of my own discouragement and disappointment, when what I think should happen doesn’t.
For the past several months we have known that my mother’s caregiver was leaving to enroll in school. Needless to say, we are very happy for her to pursue her dream. We searched for such a long time to find the right person; I am thankful she has been with us as long as she has.
After interviewing prospective new candidates, I was sure that we would find one, but to no avail. Finally, the agency called and said they had found someone who sounded like a match. My brother is visiting for the week and was able to interview Mary. He and my mom liked her very much, and he called to tell me. My heart was happy and I thought we could get back to normal.
Within 24 hours of rejoicing, I was let down. Mary called and said that she had been sick the night of the interview, and she attributed it to our cats. The agency called and confirmed that she was allergic to cats and could not accept the job.
Although I am disappointed, I am letting go of the fear that we will not find someone else. I have prayed that God would send the right person to us. I am going to take the words of Jesus and be of good cheer. I will take heart and begin the search again. Jesus helps us recover from our disappointments. My new prayer is, Lord, please hurry. I know that you are working something good for us.
Maybe you have faced a situation that’s not going according to your plans. Don’t give up. God knows how to handle our setbacks. Pray without ceasing and be encouraged. Stay connected to God through prayer and let’s watch him make a way for us.
God bless you!
