Help in Disappointment

photo by Stephan Hinni on Unsplash

Let’s say your expectation is seven feet high and what happens is one foot high. The gap (or distance) between what you expected (or hoped for) is how much disappointment you have.

We live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people. Unfortunately, we will sometimes be disappointed. The important question is this. What do we do with the disappointment?

If you are reading this while experiencing a let down, I will do my best to not minimize nor patronize your pain. That would irk me to pieces. My desire is to meet you in however deep or wide the gap is in your disappointment. I am praying for you as I go about my day.

I am going to share a few suggestions that I find helpful. It might be too much to process all at once if you are in a season of discouragement. Maybe focus on one or two suggestions that stand out.

・Remember… This Is Not the End of Your Story! It might be a bummer chapter, but it does not have to be the end.

・Be honest with yourself and with God. Find a trusted person who can listen well from a non-judgmental heart.

・Instead of ignoring the impact of the loss, ask yourself; What’s going on inside me? Am I sad, angry, confused, numb, shocked, or surprised?

・Don’t try to fix the gap. It is what it is.

・Consider allowing yourself to receive comfort from the Lord. If anyone can relate to your pain, it’s our Lord Jesus Who suffered in His humanity. The Lord often delivers this comfort through people. Chances are they might have been through something similar.

・The book of Psalms is one of my go to places when my heart is hurting. You name the emotion, you will probably find it there.

・Why???? I have come to the conclusion that needing the answers to all my questions is overrated. Some answers might come. Some won’t this side of Heaven. The struggle becomes less burdensome as I surrender those questions into the good heart of God.

・Call to mind when you went through other dire situations that you thought you could not make it through, yet here you are… still breathing… and on the other side of that struggle. The same God Who got you through that is here to help you now.

・Reassess where you put your hope. Was your hope set on getting a certain job in a specific place? Was it placed in a timeline of happening by a certain date or year? Was it for a house that looked like everything you wanted, but the contract fell through? Whatever happened, I am so sorry for your loss.

・It’s a rotten hand of cards, so play it well. In other words, use your pain to make you better and not bitter. Do something good with it. Refuse to allow the disappointment to define you.

・Keep in mind that God’s plans and purposes are not stagnate. He is never out of options and is never shocked by what comes our way. The mercy of God continuously marches forward triumphant with resurrection power. He is an expert at causing beauty to arise from the most horrific ashes.

・The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. People might, but God remains faithful. No matter what.

・When ready, I encourage you to place your concerns and longings into the hands of The One Who Cares For You. The Lord yearns to fill that gap of disappointment with an eternal hope that can anchor your soul.

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13