Finite Disappointment, Infinite Hope

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“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Over the past four days, I’ve been working with a team of people to clean up and empty out the home of an elderly woman in our community. Each night this week, a team of 12-20 eager volunteers have arrived at the home ready to work. They’ve put everything they have into this project, and they’ve remarkably emptied the main floor of 2 1/2 dumpsters full of trash. It’s amazing what can be done when good people work together.

What has been challenging to me especially over the past two nights is the revelation of how bad things still are for this woman and her home. As we’ve emptied rooms, we’ve discovered mold and mildew beyond anyone’s imagination. And last night, a few of us journeyed into the basement to discover conditions that I can hardly describe without crying or vomiting. She has been sleeping in this basement which is full of mold, trash, and raw sewage.

It became quite apparent last night that we had taken this project to a point that goes far beyond the scope that a team of untrained volunteers can handle. On one hand, I’m so grateful for the powerful force of willing volunteers to get this project to this point. And on the other hand, I feel so sad and over my head to realize that we may not be able to do much more right now to restore this woman’s home to a safe and healthy living environment.

So where do we go from here? It’s a great question for which I don’t know the answer. I know that there is still hope. And I need to lean on this hope despite the huge disappointment. I pray that the actions taken so far would not be a waste of time, energy, and money. I pray that this woman’s life would be changed forever because of what has taken place this week. I pray for the neighbors that they may know Christ’s love because of the actions taken this week. And I pray for those who volunteered that they would live their lives differently because of what they saw this week. Please pray for these things and for direction as we discern how to proceed from here. Thanks!

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:8-18

That’s all I’ve got. What keeps you going?

http://twitter.com/wellbywednesday David Ramos

Beautiful explanation of MLK’s quote. For me – vitamins and prayer, that’s what keep me moving.
Hope your prayers are answered!
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Thanks, David. I’m a big vitamin person, and prayer is powerful!
ddkays

God and prayer…couldn’t do a thing without it!
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Amen!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1431444933 Kathy Krueger

If your goal has been to serve ‘the least of these’ with the sacrificial love of Christ, being His hands and His feet, then nothing has been wasted. What is a sacrifice after all? What is worship? They took the best lambs and instead of feeding the hungry with them they ‘wasted’ them by burning them on the altar, just as the woman ‘wasted’ the expensive perfume by pouring it on Jesus’ feet. Nothing poured at Jesus’ feet is ever wasted.
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Thanks for that humbling reminder, Kathy. They way we value things doesn’t always align with God’s value system. May this experience continue to work on us – as it does on this woman.
http://www.facebook.com/michael.shaw18 Michael Shaw

What keeps me going? Debby, Family, friends, faith, a miracle of God, taking each day one day at a time.

I hope the elderly woman you wrote about gets the help she needs and deserves.

I have a thought for you my friend from my perspective, which I know is somewhat different.

It is true that in this world there is poverty that is almost completely beyond help, despair that is beyond help, illness that is beyond help, loneliness and isolation that are beyond help, and evil that cannot be rectified, or at least easily.

There is no bottom to human need. It is infinite. But think about this: If it were not like this, there would be no faith in God, because the world would be finite. We humans could solve all our own problems and have no reason for faith in God.

Even as reality is, there are a lot of nonbelievers.

So there is a blessing in this endless, infinite need. It establishes our need for God and enables us to reach out to Him.
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  This is an interesting perspective that I greatly appreciate, my friend. God’s love is infinite. From that fact comes infinite hope.
http://www.singleroots.com/ Jessica Bufkin

“And I need to lean on this hope despite the huge disappointment. I pray
that the actions taken so far would not be a waste of time, energy, and
money.” I don’t think serving others for Kingdom purposes is ever wasted. Grateful for the hope we have that He is near and He hears and sees us, and praying for clarity for all of you. Thanks for sharing the link with me!
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Thanks, Jessica. Like I said before, your blog post today was very timely.
http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

Jon, your post brings Ephesians 6 to mind “..having done all, to stand.” I am praying for you and the team and elderly lady. As you stand, God will work the situation to His glory.
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Thank you for the encouragement Ngina. As we come to the end of today, I’m coming to peace with that fact. I need to trust that God will work through this entire situation.
http://peanutbuttercupmoment.tumblr.com/ TJ

Wow. That’s a great quote and great story. It’s hearing other people’s stories–both when they’re waiting to see their hope fulfilled or are already enjoying a victory–that inspire me, as well as hearing God’s promises. He’s able to do more than we could ask or think, and I’m praying that He does that for you guys. Thanks for your hearts of service!
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Thanks, TJ. Honestly, it’s been a roller coaster ride today as we’ve talked, thought, and prayed about what to do next. Please continue to keep us in our prayers – especially praying for the woman we’re working with. She needs a healthy living environment and she needs to know the love of Christ.
http://www.tammyhelfrich.com/ Tammy Helfrich

Great post. It will not be a wasted effort. You never know how God will use what you’ve all done.
- http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe
  
  Very true, Tammy. It’s been amazing to see the transformation of this woman. She has started coming to our church, to our small group, and to a Foundations class that meets at church. Her house situation is still a bit up in the air, but God has obviously been working in her life. INFINITE HOPE for sure!
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