Looking Out the Window

It seems that when God has His finger on an area of my life that I come up against it pretty consistently. I've been discouraged lately about something that I'd thought had been conquered. Not so. Disappointment struck again, and I've been dwelling on it far too much--which digs a deeper disappointment ditch.

I read Lost in the Middle / Midlife and the Grace of God by Paul David Tripp not long ago, and God used it to lift me to much higher ground. But I have much further to go.  He uses His Word over and over again to give me more understanding of His grace and comfort. How to respond to disappointments and deferred hope?

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,...  Proverbs 13:12a

How do we find encouragement in discouragement? How do we keep from turning inward and missing God's grace? First, we draw closer to God. Instead of pulling away because we don't feel His presence, we need to draw closer to Him so we can walk through trials with Him. We need to pursue Him. We also need to follow Paul's example in his distress. He turned his eyes away from his personal affliction and rejoiced in the evidence of the faith of those he loved.

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you; for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; ....  For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you.      ~ 1 Thessalonians 3:6-11

As I heard it expressed some time ago, I need to stop looking in the mirror and start looking out the window. In other words, stop focusing on myself and look more intently on others, rejoicing in the evidence of their faith and love. Let them be reminders that God is actively working in the lives of His children. I may not see Him at work in my own situation at the moment, but that doesn't mean He isn't at work. It just means that I don't see it. My sight may be impaired for whatever reason--sin, discouragement, or God's choice. For whatever reason, He wants me to trust His heart even though I don't see His hand.

There's another phrase in this passage that strikes me as well-- that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you. We can encourage others by letting them know that we think kindly of them and long to see them, that there's something about them that we appreciate.

There's a third aspect of encouragement and joy here as well... "as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you."  It's important to be together, so much so that the Apostle Paul says he prays day and night for it--most earnestly prays. But hope deferred makes the heart sick. Yes, but Proverbs go on to say

... but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12b

So, I ask myself--Am I showing my care and concern about others? Do I let them know that I think kindly of them? (Just thinking it doesn't count.) Do I let them know what I appreciate about them? Do I let people know that I'm truly glad to see them? Do I let them know that I've missed them when they're gone? Do I even notice when they're gone? Am I allowing the evidence of their faith to encourage me in mine? Am I getting my care and concern off myself? Do I pray--day and night-- that we'll eventually be together? Which do I do more often--gaze in the mirror or look out the window?

Painting ~ Waiting By The Window, Carl Holsoe 1863-1935
via Wikimedia Commons public domain