What are we to do when family and friends let us down? The sting of disappointed may still hurt even though time has moved on. What are we to do when we feel God has let us down? We’ve prayed and did everything we thought was right to do and yet nothing happened the way we expected?

How do we move past these feelings of disappointment? If we attempt to bury them and act like nothing happened, we risk developing a bitter spirit leading to an unforgiving heart. Our flesh will want us to throw a pity party, but our spirit will long for us to go to God for help.

How did Abraham deal with the disappointment when he realized how much time had passed before he and Sarah would have a son? How did Joseph deal with being a slave and a prisoner when God showed him in a dream that he would be a ruler? How did Moses deal with the disappointment of leading the people out of Egypt only to have them wedged between the Red Sea and the fury of Pharaoh’s army? How did David deal with the disappointment of being unfairly treated by Saul after killing Goliath? How did Elijah deal with his disappointment after watching fire come down from heaven and then running for his life into the desert? How did the disciples deal with the disappointment of watching Jesus’ crucifixion?

Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah, and the disciples had to deal with their disappointment by trusting in God. Dealing with disappointment is a part of our Christian journey. We are going to feel let down by God and by people. Obviously God is good, but it doesn’t mean that we on our human side—aren’t going to feel let down. It’s how we deal with our disappointment that determines our spiritual growth. Our flesh would prefer for us to wallow in defeat and find ways to comfort ourselves outside of God’s will. Our spirit will lead us to trust in God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to trust in God with all of our hearts and lean not to our own understanding, acknowledge Him in all of our ways and He will make our paths straight. The action of trusting in God is the next right step to get out of disappointment. God will honor our trust and we will find ourselves further along in the faith.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me dig out of my disappointments to trust You more. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In His Service,