Very often I find myself feeling that God is disappointed in me. We have all seen “that” look. Arms crossed, looking down, shaking his head…. disappointed…. But as William Young points out in The Shack, it is impossible for God to be disappointed in us.
Think about it — what is disappointment?
If I am looking forward to something and it doesn’t happen – I’m disappointed – my expectations aren’t fulfilled. But in order for me to be disappointed, something that I had hoped or expected to happen in the future didn’t happen. When it doesn’t happen, I am sad or disappointed.
Disappointment requires that I live INSIDE of time – that I do not know the future because I am looking forward in time for something to occur. God lives OUTSIDE of time. He already knows the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end and everything in between.
He does not expect anything from me because expectation is contrary to His nature. He already knows what I am going to do. By His very nature, God cannot be disappointed.
Listen to this dialog between Papa (God) and Mack in The Shack:
‘Because that is what love does,’ answered Papa. ‘Remember, Mackenzie, I don’t wonder what you will do or what choices you will make. I already know. Let’s say for example, I am trying to teach you how not to hide inside of lies, hypothetically of course,’ she said with a wink. ‘And let’s say that I know it will take you forty-seven situations and events before you will actually hear me — that is, before you will hear clearly enough to agree with me and change. So when you don’t hear me the first time, I’m not frustrated or disappointed, I’m thrilled. Only forty-six more times to go. And that first time will be a building block to construct a bridge of healing that one day — that today — you will walk across.'”
Living in this sense of disappointment is a lie – one that is contrary to Romans 8:1 for one. When we truly understand and fully believe that “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” (NASB) we will begin to live in the wide open place the Father has provided to us through grace.
He is not disappointed in you.