Dismay is an inevitable part of the human condition that we must all face at times during our lives.  As a negative emotion, it is similar to depression, fear, anxiety, or worry, yet different.  A few definitions of dismay are: to break down courage completely, to cause to lose enthusiasm or resolution, to thoroughly dishearten, or to daunt.  Dismay happens when something or someone we had total confidence in is brought into question.

Believers are not only not immune to dismay but may actually be more susceptible to it than non-believers if only because His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  In Mark 4 the disciples followed the Lord’s instructions to the letter when He told them to get into the boat, they were going to the other side.  A short time later they found themselves in the midst of a storm so severe they concluded they were going to die.  How could that be? They had done what they were told yet things had not turned out as they expected.  They were dismayed.

How many Christians go into marriage to live happily ever after, do everything right, and yet face many of the same difficulties as unbelievers?

How many parents do all they can to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord only to realize that their children do in fact have free will?

How many people pray diligently, seek wise counsel, and make the best business decisions they can only to see their plans fail?

How many take great care of their bodies as the temple of the Lord yet experience the same illnesses as those who don’t?

The list is endless and the Bible speaks much of dismay, but interestingly the word is only used in the Old Testament.  Strong’s Concordance shows a form of the word “dismay” appearing 30 times in Scripture, first in Deuteronomy 31:8.  Here as Moses is commissioning Joshua to take over in leading the Israelites he assures him that as God had been with him He would surely be with Joshua, therefore he was not to fear or be dismayed. The last usage of the word dismay is in Obadiah 9.

The Prophet Isaiah continues that theme in one of the most powerful promises of the Old Testament:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, NKJV)

The first 39 chapters of Isaiah parallel the Old Testament, while the last 27 chapters parallel the New Testament. Chapters 40 and following bring tremendous promises of hope to God’s people, with the hope coming in the form of the Messiah.  Their hope is no longer in the promise of a Person, it is in the Person Himself!  The Person who will strengthen them, who will help them, who will uphold them with His righteous right hand.

Throughout His earthly ministry the Lord Jesus told His followers repeatedly to “fear not.” These words replaced the Old Testament word dismay.  Whatever they might face He Himself was with them, His perfect love was to cast out their fear.  In Mark 4 He ordered the disciples into a boat with the words “we are going to the other side.”  The disciple’s assessment of their circumstances caused them to believe otherwise.  In their panic they went to the Lord, He calmed the storm, and asked “why did you doubt, you of little faith?”

In their situation, and in many of ours, the facts are the facts, but how we interpret the facts makes all the difference. When the Lord allows dismay in our lives could it be that it is an opportunity for our faith to be strengthened?  Faith still comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  What does Scripture actually say about this situation?  What does it actually promise?  James 1:2-3 tells us:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (NIV)

 The disciples were terrified by the storm to the point that they genuinely believed they were going to die.  The Lord allowed that experience not to hurt them but to help them build the discipline of perseverance, learning to base reality on the Truth of what He said, not on their assessment of the immediate circumstances.  In a world that craves ease and comfort, that delights in instant results with minimum effort, discipline and perseverance are not welcome concepts but they remain a way in which the Lord often works to produce spiritual maturity.

When the Lord allows dismay into our lives, when we find ourselves disheartened by the inevitable storms, may we hold firmly to the Truth’s of His Word and be resolute in His promises.  Our part is to not fear or be dismayed.  His part is to help us, strengthen us, and uphold us with His righteous right hand.  We cannot do His part, He will not do our part, but when those two come together is when the miracles happen and the storms subside. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and the wind and the waves still obey Him.  It’s all about the relationship, that we may know Him better.