Disappointment Dust

by Macy Johnson

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

(Genesis 3:19 NIV)

 

We must humbly admit we are made from the dust of the earth. We are hand-fashioned in the womb out of flesh and blood and bound to this planet for a short season.

 

Dust has many connotations. It is the substance of being, the offspring of destruction, and dry and lifeless until the Holy Spirit pours nourishing life-giving water into it.

 

I was introduced to “grog” in Lysa TerKeurst’s book, It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way. Grog is described as carefully refined scraps collected from broken pottery pieces. These potentially discarded shards are often used to help build strength and beauty into a new work-of-art. When God breaks us through our disappointments, Lysa explained, grog is produced and purified particles are fashioned to create new appointments.

 

My cholesterol level had thankfully dropped several points in March and I looked forward to have my blood tested again in August. I anticipated another dip in the level, since my eating and exercise habits had changed drastically in the interim six months. To my disappointment, the total cholesterol numbers had increased and my medication regime was sadly forced to continue. Small and slight, but a disappointment still the same.

 

Dust created by broken hopes and dreams is inevitable. What God does with the dust is preordained. His element of choice is the stuff we brush off our shoulders and try to run away from. He catches the castoff grog in His hands and recycles it for His glory.

 

I will welcome dust of disappointments and observe my heavenly Father carefully form it into new abounding opportunities. I hope you will, too!