Navigating Disappointment
I don't post much but I feel this will help someone.
All of Jesus disciples had to navigate disappointment:
Three times after His resurrection Jesus appeared to very close friends who did not recognize Him. There may be more than one reason they couldn't, but what is common to each of these situations? Disappointment!
In each of the three episodes the text either confirms or implies that disappointment played a significant role in those who met Jesus after His resurrection and not readily recognizing him. Luke 24 chronicles the story of Cleopas and his companions as they sadly trod the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Jesus intrudes into their narrative completely un-recognized and they are ‘sad and gloomy’. Jesus, as only he can, through questioning conversation and revelation eventually unravels their disappointment, they recognize him and he’s gone. Poof!
Mary, (Magdalene I think), returned to the empty tomb disappointed and broken hearted when two angels asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping. (The angels see things differently than we do with our limited earthly viewpoint!?! They knew the time of heartache and confusion was over. Jesus was alive!) Mary’s lament was that she couldn't locate ‘the dead Jesus’ when behind her stood the ‘Alive Jesus’, yet she too didn’t recognize Him either. She thought He was the gardener. Once again, just as in Luke 24, Jesus questions Mary’s until her illusion of the ‘still dead’ Jesus evaporates in the face of the Living One! Jesus asked the same question the angel’ asked, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Disappointment eradicated!
The angels who knew Jesus was alive and Jesus Himself after his resurrection seemed to think sadness and weeping was no longer an accurate response to life!?!
Simon Peter had the same experience with Jesus after his betrayal, disappointment, and seaside restoration recorded in John 21. Three times Jesus asked each person questions that dissipated their disappointment and confusion. Often Jesus doesn't settle our issues by answering our questions. He asks us His questions and gives us Himself!