I waited a quarter of a century.
My love for the Dutch artist, Rembrandt, began in my early twenties, and ever since then, I had had my heart set on traveling to the Netherlands to see his famous painting The Night Watch.
Six weeks ago, the day finally came.
I walked into Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, grabbed a map, and began making my way to the Gallery of Honor. My pulse elevated as I ascended the stairs toward the central hall. No map was needed; a large crowd spread across the gallery like colorful impasto. A sea of cell phones swayed through the air.
This was it! After all these years, I was going to see Rembrandt’s masterpiece in person! I weaved through the throng and finally broke through, only to be abruptly halted by a thick wall of glass. I stopped, looked up, and stood there dumbfounded. There it was, The Night Watch, in all its luminous, breathtaking mystery–completely obstructed by restoration equipment.
Through all my travel preparations, I had somehow missed the fact that The Night Watch has been undergoing high-tech restoration since 2019.
Wat een teleurstelling! (What a letdown!)
Eventually, disappointments will come.
Some disappointments will be minor, like my anticlimactic museum visit, others will be life-changing; some will be unsettling, others will be soul crushing and require spiritual care and the tender touch of time. On the positive side, disappointments can be powerful teachers, helping us to learn about ourselves, our desires, and our reliance on God. By walking through disappointments, we can become more receptive to God’s grace and learn to rely on Him more fully.
St. Augustine taught that disappointments, while painful, can lead to us into a deeper understanding of ourselves and God, and can strengthen our faith. My recent disappointment certainly taught me to do more careful research before traveling, and it was a good reminder not to put quite so much emphasis on my bucket list.
If there is one thing we can relate to in our shared humanity, it is letdowns. Our universal experience allows us to offer real connection and hope.
The Bible reminds us, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Ps. 34:18
When we face disappointments, we are not alone. The Lord is near and we can call upon Him in every circumstance.
