Disappointment is a universal experience; we have all faced it at one point or another, some more intensely than others writes SEELE Faith Editor KB Chakela

The story of Lazarus's death exemplifies such. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, passed away, leaving his sisters Mary and Martha immersed in grief, questioning why Jesus, their brother's beloved friend, had not intervened. This sentiment is expressed in both Martha and Mary's initial words to Jesus upon his arrival John 11:21 NKJV "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary echoed similar sentiments in John 11:32. Their unwavering faith in Jesus' ability to heal the sick and raise the dead collided with the reality of Lazarus' four-day-old death, extinguishing all remaining hope.

Jesus, however, was fully aware of Lazarus' death and deliberately delayed his arrival. Days earlier, he had informed his disciples that Lazarus was asleep, but when they misunderstood, he plainly stated that Lazarus had indeed passed away, yet he intended to wake him up John 11:14-15 NKJV "Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sake that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.'" Ultimately, Jesus stood before Lazarus' tomb four days later, instructing the gathered mourners to roll away the stone sealing the tomb. With a commanding voice, he called Lazarus forth, and miraculously, Lazarus emerged from the tomb, still wrapped in burial cloths, yet alive.

This powerful story highlights the importance of maintaining hope, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable disappointment. Though our dreams may appear dead and our hopes buried, we must remember the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus summoned Lazarus back to life, we too can summon our hopes and dreams from the depths of despair. Despite the finality of death, Jesus' actions demonstrate that nothing is impossible for him who believes. Thus, when disappointment threatens to overwhelm us, we must summon the courage to roll away the stone of doubt and call forth that which we believe to be lost. Though it may seem that all hope is lost, we must remember that the same spirit that resurrected Jesus and Lazarus from the dead resides within us.

Disappointments are inevitable, we will encounter them in various areas of life, whether in academia, careers, or business ventures, etc. Yet, even in our darkest moments of disappointment, we can find solace in Jesus' words in John 11:15, where he expressed gladness despite the loss of his friend, understanding that it would serve a greater purpose. Indeed, disappointment serves as an opportunity for God's resurrection power to manifest, birthing new life and hope from despair, truly giving us beauty for ashes.

As we navigate life's inevitable disappointments, let us cling to the belief that delay does not equate to denial, and death is not the final chapter. Instead, let us embrace the truth that disappointment serves as an invitation, though a challenging one, for God to demonstrate his power in our lives. With faith and hope as our anchor, we can trust that God has the ability to breathe life into dead situations, even amidst the most hopeless circumstances, thereby transforming disappointment into a divine opportunity for the miraculous.

So, let us roll away the stone of disappointment, and with unwavering faith, speak life into our circumstances. And with this I leave you with a quote from one of my favourite Nollywood (Nigerian) films: “what God cannot do, does not exist.”