EPISODE ONE: DISAPPOINTMENT

A CONVERSATION WITH TERRELL OWENS

 
 

Opening Activity:

Take a moment and read Luke 22:39-54. Jesus had warned the disciples of what would happen (Mark 9:31). He told them that He would be arrested and killed. And yet, when He was arrested they fled (Mark 14:50). When He was put on trial they denied Him (Luke 22:54-62). When He was crucified they hid (John 20:19). Certainly they were disappointed in themselves and disappointed in the way that this movement and ministry was coming to an end. But of course, having the gift of hindsight, you and I know that Jesus’s death was only just the beginning.

Today we will explore the surprising value of disappointments and the ways in which God uses these disappointments to shape and discipline us. As Hebrews 12:11 reads, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Questions:

1.     What was your initial reaction to today’s podcast discussion with Terrell Owens?

2.     When you hear the word disappointment, what is the first memory that comes to mind?

3.     In what way(s) has God used the experience of that disappointment, and perhaps even the memory of that disappointment, to make you into the person you are today? In what way(s) does He continue using that disappointment today to mold and shape you?

Today’s Goals:

After listening to this week’s podcast and working through today’s session, we will:

●      Trust God with all the disappointment we experience, each trial we face, and every ounce of suffering we endure

●      Better understand the way God appoints and exploits our disappointments for His glory and our good

Closing Thoughts:

During my conversation with Terrell he openly admitted that he wasn’t the best player on his high school or college football team, and when I asked him how in the world he made it into the NFL, his answer was, “God is good.”

God has a plan. God has a path. Sometimes His plan might negate our plan, and His path might pave itself over the path we were making for ourselves. In Acts 16:6 we see that Paul wanted to take the gospel to Asia but the Holy Spirit prevented him. Sometimes God’s plan and His path will counteract our own well-intentioned plans and leave us scratching our heads and, perhaps, even feeling a little disappointed. But whatever the case, take a page from Terrell’s playbook and remind yourself, God is good. No matter the disappointments we face in life, God is God and He will cause all things to work together for our good.

Prayer Prompt: Thank God for giving meaning to every disappointment. Ask Him to provide you with a righteous determination, so that when disappointment comes you aren’t rendered spiritually catatonic, but instead you continue pressing further into His plan and His path for you.

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Albert Tate