When Jesus Disappoints Us

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” —C. S. Lewis

As I  have been doing my best to embrace the challenge we've set before our congregation to ask "What Would Jesus Do?" in every aspect of our lives, I've discovered some interesting things. 

First, for every step forward that I take in this challenge, I seem to take two steps backward.  

Just when I feel like I'm getting things right and totally nailing being like Jesus, I turn around and do some seriously un-Jesus-like stuff. 

Which brings me to the second thing I find interesting.  In those moments, I often find myself wishing Jesus were more like me and would react the way I'm reacting.  

Thankfully, I find that I'm not alone in this because none other than St. Peter himself has a similar moment in Matthew 16:21–23

Peter had just gotten it right.

Earlier in the same chapter in Matthew,  Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter boldly answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus affirms his answer and essentially tells him, "Atta boy, Peter, you said the exact right thing!" 

And then, almost immediately, Peter got it wrong.

Jesus began explaining that he would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be rejected, killed, and eventually raised from the dead. Peter couldn't accept it. He pulled Jesus aside and rebuked him.

“God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”

Peter wasn't rejecting Jesus. Peter loved Jesus.

He simply didn't like the kind of Messiah Jesus was becoming.

Peter expected victory. Jesus talked about suffering.

Peter imagined power. Jesus described sacrifice.

Peter wanted triumph. Jesus pointed toward a cross.

Sometimes our greatest difficulty in following Jesus comes not when we stop believing in him, but when Jesus refuses to behave the way we think he should.

We pray, and the answer doesn't come.

We expect certainty and encounter mystery.

We expect following Christ to make life easier, only to discover that love, forgiveness, generosity, reconciliation, and justice can be costly.

Jesus sometimes disappoints our expectations because our expectations are too small.

Peter wanted Jesus to conquer his enemies. Jesus wanted to show his followers how to love them.

Peter wanted Jesus to seize power. Jesus wanted to redefine power.

Peter wanted Jesus to save himself. Jesus intended to give himself away.

And perhaps we still struggle with the same temptation.

We want a Jesus who makes us comfortable when sometimes Jesus wants to make us courageous.

We want a Jesus who confirms our expectations when sometimes Jesus wants to transform them.

Faith doesn't mean we will always understand where Jesus is leading. It means trusting him enough to follow anyway.

Sometimes the Jesus we need most is the Jesus who refuses to become the Jesus we expected.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, when your way is different from the way I would choose, give me courage to trust you. Free me from the expectations I place upon you and teach me to follow with humility, faith, and hope. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. When have I experienced disappointment because God didn't act as I expected?
2. What expectation about following Jesus might I need to release?
3. Where might Jesus be asking me to trust him without knowing exactly where the road leads?