Disappointment.

“But the Levites among you do not get a portion of land, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the Lord” Joshua 18:7.

Life is unfair.  You work hard but it goes unnoticed.  You earn a promotion that never comes.  You are faithful to the Lord, yet He blesses your friends with things He won’t give you.  But your friends have disappointments too.  When John D. Rockefeller was asked “How much money is enough?,” he answered “Just a little bit more.”  No one gets it all. 

This is the way God works: David was anointed king, but endured years of persecution from Saul.  Joseph spent years in prison before God made him “ruler of all Egypt” Genesis 45:8.  Some disappointments are temporary—and God uses them to purify our ambitions.

But some disappointments are NOT temporary: Moses led Israel 40 years, but did not enter the Promised Land. King David was faithful in battle, but God said the warrior had shed too much blood to build the Lord’s temple.  The tribe of Levi had no land.  Instead of being assigned a territory they could call their own, the Levites were dispersed to cities all over Israel.  They were given a ROLE not REAL ESTATE.  The priests sacrificed animals for their brothers and ate the best from every herd and flock.  They would never go hungry.  But sometimes you just want land, a piece of dirt to call your own. 

You know what?  Too bad.  God gives every one of us this much and no more.  Whether rich or poor, we are sheep in a pen: eventually you reach the fence, the limit of your territory. 

God looks at us and says what He said to the sea at creation:

“Thus far shall you come, but no farther” Job 38:11.

You may be rich in money, land, family, travel, or talent—but no one has it all. Your friends will have this much, but no more.  “Thus far shall you come, but no farther.”  You will NEVER have it all this side of heaven.  The sooner you accept that, the happier you will be.

ΑΩ