Hope and Disappointment

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for…” Hebrews 11:1

Several friends and I are daring to believe God to change us and some of our circumstances. For various reasons, we are afraid we will not make it this time and either stay in patterns and habits that do not get us where we want to be or we will fail and be worse off than when we started. None of us wants to contemplate the cost of perceived failure.

Disappointment is an interesting emotion. To be disappointed means to be “defeated in expectation or hope” (merriam-webster.com). We hope for something or expect something and if we do not get it we feel disappointed. We feel defeated. String together enough defeated expectations and hopes and we start to give up or give in. We stop hoping and expecting and believing for something to happen. Eventually, we give up and settle for whatever state we are in adopting an “I don’t care” attitude.

Disappointments are a part of life. There is no avoiding them. Disappointments, like failures, do not have to be defeating and they are not the end of the world even though they may feel like it.

I have already had a significant disappointment today. But it’s okay. I decided that I will let God be the God of my disappointments. I will turn my disappointments over to Him and dare to keep believing. I will make whatever adjustments I need to make because those who put their hope in God will never be disappointed (Psalm 25:3).

What about you? What are you doing with your disappointments? Do not run from them or ignore them. Take them to a God Who loves you more than you can imagine. He is a God Who wants only the best for you. Put your hope in Him and you will not be disappointed.

Recommendation: Go to biblegateway.net and do a search on the word “hope.” Read the passages from the Bible that have the word “hope” or a variation of “hope” in them. Be encouraged and learn to put your hope in God and trust Him with your disappointments.