Disappointment
Disappointment... there’s a disappointing word to start a blog!
How do I overcome disappointment with life?
LIFE, amazing that it continues even when it doesn’t seem to be going the way we thought it would or should go. One of the byproducts of living in a broken and sinful world is that every single one of us, Christian or not, will indeed experience pain, suffering and disappointment in our life time. Marriages and relationships failed, College and career dreams crushed and left unfulfilled. Because of this, we can tend to feel that we are living a life of sorrow and, yes… the “D” word… disappointment. Jesus even points it out in the middle of John 16:33 “In the world you have tribulation”…none of us are immune to it. (Even the false teachers of the prosperity gospel).
We must not lose perspective as we overcome the disappointing times of life. In that we must remember that we will never be able to eliminate disappointment or suffering this side of heaven, but with proper perspective, it is less daunting, it’s manageable.
1) There is nothing in this life that can undo what God did by sending Jesus to the cross.
If we are not in Gods word we will never be able to have a proper perspective on disappointment. Those who do not have a relationship with God do not have the hope that we carry with us. Psychology and philosophy are great to study and apply, but, do not give an answer for disappointment or how to deal with it in a healthy way. Social science cannot restore the soul.
Psalms 23:3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
The reality is that through the trials and disappointments of life, as uncomfortable as they are, serve a greater purpose. It is through these times that we mature, learning patience, and humility. Understanding that we also need endurance and trust, these virtues bring us strength and if we handle them in humility with eyes on God, we will develop Godly character.
2) Reliance on God - It is through these hard times that we see that we can rely on God and on His word. HIS Word that is trustworthy.
The Apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians;
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gods power is strongest when we are at our weakest…
A.W. Tozer said; “If the truth were known, the saints of God in every age were only effective after they had been wounded.”
Perspective is another word we need to keep in mind. Perspective is how you see something. If you think that toys corrupt children, then you will deem toy stores as evil. Thats YOUR perspective. In our walk with God we must keep within our perspective eternity. Our physical time on planet Earth is but a fraction of our journey.
As we have been working through our study in Acts and the Young Adults study Thursday nights we see Paul being persecuted, as he consistently spread the gospel message. His pain and suffering seems unbearable but yet he referred to his “hardships” as “light and momentary troubles”. His perspective or his focus was on eternal Glory and that was greater than any earthly disappointments that he would face. (2 Corinthians 4:17 and Romans 8:18)
2 Corinthians 4:18
… while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Faith-another imperative word in our journey. Faith is what allows us to see the unseen and is indispensable in our Christian life. .
Gods word tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 11:6 that we live by faith and that without faith it is impossible to please God.
This is part of that theology of suffering that we must develop. Not as Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh looking at everything as the end and being a pessimist. But as a Christian knowing that life will happen, we will experience disappointment and have to endure trials that will indeed put our faith to the test.
James 1:2-4
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Consider it all Joy… HA! Oh JOY! Disappointments will be with us until the day we die. But, we can minimize there impact understanding and applying the principles of reaping and sowing that is evident from Genesis to Revelation.
Proverbs 11:18
The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
Proverbs 22:8a … He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
If we could remember that living faithfully in Gods word would help push back unnecessary disappointment and troubles, AND we would all be in a much better place.
Psalms 119:9
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
God is in control, He is sovereign. Everything that happens in this universe happens either because he prescribes it or gave permission for it to occur. Prayer is us acknowledging Gods sovereignty , in the midst of the storm or the disappointment, prayer gives us strength. Prayer gave strength to Moses, David, Daniel and even Jesus before he took all the sins of the world.
Jesus sept his final night on this planet in prayer. (Matthew 27:36-44 and John 17)
Matthew 11:28
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
He is inviting you and I to come to him when we are weary and feel heavy with the load the world has dropped on us and HE will give us rest. When we are a follower of Christ, a child of GOD we are never alone in our trials.
Hebrews 13:5
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
This is when we can indeed do as it says in:
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
AND IN;
Psalms 68:35
O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Maurice Roberts stated, “The degree of a Christian’s peace of mind depends upon his spiritual ability to interpose the thought of God between himself and his anxiety.”
DISSAPOINTED? Keep your mind on God, stay in the word, get the worship music on and nothing can steal your peace!
I am praying for you all and love you dearly!!!
Pastor Scott
Is it wrong fo me to be disappointed with God?
Disappointment with God is not necessarily wrong or sinful; rather, it is a part of the human condition. The word disappointment means "a feeling of dissatisfaction when one’s hopes, desires, and expectations fail to come to pass." When God somehow fails to satisfy our hopes or does not live up to our expectations, disappointment inevitably follows. If God does not perform in the manner we think He should, we become disillusioned with Him and dissatisfied with His performance. This can lead to a wavering faith in God, especially in His sovereignty and His goodness.
When God does not act when we think He should act, it is not because He is unable to do so. Rather, He simply chooses not to. While this might seem an arbitrary or capricious act on His part, the exact opposite is true. God chooses to act or not to act according to His perfect and holy will in order to bring about His righteous purposes. Nothing happens that is out of God’s plan. He has control of every molecule that floats around in the universe, and God’s will encompasses every act and decision made by every person throughout the world at all times. He tells us in Isaiah 46:11, “From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” Even the birds are somehow part of His foreordained plan. Furthermore, there are times when He chooses to let us know His plans (Isaiah 46:10), and times when He does not. Sometimes we understand what He is doing; sometimes we do not (Isaiah 55:9). One thing we do know for sure: if we belong to Him, whatever He does will be to our benefit, whether or not we understand it (Romans 8:28).
The key to avoiding disappointment with God is to align our wills with His and to submit to His will in all things. Doing so will not only keep us from being disappointed with God, but it will also preclude grumbling and complaining about the events that occur in our lives. The Israelites in the desert griped and questioned God on several occasions, despite having seen miraculous displays of His power in the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and quail in the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord that followed them in the form of a pillar of fire (Exodus 15–16; Numbers 14:2-37). Despite God’s continual faithfulness to His people, they grumbled and were disappointed with God because He did not act as they thought He should. Rather than submitting to His will and trusting Him, they were in a constant state of turmoil and confusion.
When we align our wills with God’s will and when we can say, with Jesus, “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42), then we find the contentment Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 and Philippians 4:11-12. Paul had learned to be content with whatever God sent his way. He trusted God and submitted to His will, knowing that a holy, righteous, perfect, loving, and merciful God would work all things together for his good because that is what He promised. When we see God in that light, we cannot possibly be disappointed with Him. Rather, we submit willingly to our heavenly Father, knowing that His will is perfect and that everything He brings to pass in our lives will be for our good and His glory.
Be present…. I was thinking the other day how cool it would be to rewind time at first I was thinking 10 years. Then my mother-in-law would be in better health and have her home and her freedom, then I thought why not 20 years…. Or 24 years to the day Pam and I got married…with the knowledge of the future of coarse. What would I really change? What disappointments would I dismiss that I learned from? So much I would miss out on. What about my amazing grand daughters? We really need to be present and remember that disappointment, id part of life and growth into who God wants us to be. Lorem Ipsum