Disappointment
Posted by Esther Stewart on Tuesday, May 31, 2011
"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." Romans 5:5.
What are you hoping in? What are you hoping for? We all have hopes. Big ones (like I hope my book gets published), and little ones (like I hope I get dinner ready on time tonight). Some of them we can more or less control, like getting dinner ready but a lot we have to rely on someone else for. Who are you relying on?
Disappointment is a very strong emotion. Our family was recently invited to a party. We were really looking forward to it. We told the kids. They were excited. Then we found out there was a cover charge. We could pay for maybe two of us but for six ... My disappointment was extreme. I felt angry. I told my husband how I felt. I considered ringing the organisers and telling them. I was cross for a couple of days, until I calmed down enough to tell God about it.
God: "Do you want to go?"
Me: "Of course I want to go."
God: "Well, will you let me pay for it?"
Me: "How are you gonna do that? .. and anyway, it's the PRINCIPLE!"
That's when I realised that a lot of my anger came from past hurts and disappointments. I was reacting to unrelated events in my past, as if it was all going to happen again. But it didn't, and we will go to the party. God provided the entry fee. He came through because He does not disappoint. I had to stop looking at my anger and looking at my past and listen to Him.
For the bigger things, it's hard when the disappointment keeps happening, and is still there. God understands this.
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12
My husband found this verse for me when I had reached a place of extreme discouragement. My heart had become sick with deferred hopes. I couldn't see how any would be fulfilled. I was walled in with hopelessness.
God wants to be the fulfillment of all your hopes. He will not disappoint you. When I put my longings back in His hands my hope began to grow again. I can see that they will be fulfilled in time. Don't let the disappointment get you down. Check what you're hoping in. God is constant and unfailing. He is good.
"No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame." Psalm 25:3
What are you hoping in? What are you hoping for? We all have hopes. Big ones (like I hope my book gets published), and little ones (like I hope I get dinner ready on time tonight). Some of them we can more or less control, like getting dinner ready but a lot we have to rely on someone else for. Who are you relying on?
Disappointment is a very strong emotion. Our family was recently invited to a party. We were really looking forward to it. We told the kids. They were excited. Then we found out there was a cover charge. We could pay for maybe two of us but for six ... My disappointment was extreme. I felt angry. I told my husband how I felt. I considered ringing the organisers and telling them. I was cross for a couple of days, until I calmed down enough to tell God about it.
God: "Do you want to go?"
Me: "Of course I want to go."
God: "Well, will you let me pay for it?"
Me: "How are you gonna do that? .. and anyway, it's the PRINCIPLE!"
That's when I realised that a lot of my anger came from past hurts and disappointments. I was reacting to unrelated events in my past, as if it was all going to happen again. But it didn't, and we will go to the party. God provided the entry fee. He came through because He does not disappoint. I had to stop looking at my anger and looking at my past and listen to Him.
For the bigger things, it's hard when the disappointment keeps happening, and is still there. God understands this.
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12
My husband found this verse for me when I had reached a place of extreme discouragement. My heart had become sick with deferred hopes. I couldn't see how any would be fulfilled. I was walled in with hopelessness.
God wants to be the fulfillment of all your hopes. He will not disappoint you. When I put my longings back in His hands my hope began to grow again. I can see that they will be fulfilled in time. Don't let the disappointment get you down. Check what you're hoping in. God is constant and unfailing. He is good.
"No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame." Psalm 25:3
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