DAILY DEVO...disappointment can't always be overcome

Disappointment is never something easy to deal with. Currently, I am sorting thru some disappointment that has popped up in my life that has no rhyme or reason but nevertheless, it is still disappointment. It is the kind of disappointment that you can't do anything about.

Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:7)

 

I suppose we've all been there. Perhaps a letter of rejection, or a job promotion lost or that person we put on a pedestal all of a sudden falls. I think that disappointment can be more devastating than tragedy. It is true in my case anyway. The tragedy that I once felt doesn't even compare to the disappointment that came after the tragedy.

 

God's Word says that we are to REJOICE in our sufferings. Being glad and jumping up and down is probably not the first thought I have when disappointment comes my way. In fact, when I get seriously wounded with disappointment, I usually shut myself off; I become withdrawn and just try to work things out with God about my circumstance. There's not usually alot of singing and shouting going on.

 

So what is a person to do when disappointment comes their way? After all, we are not alone, look at the early disciples; even Paul had his share of disappointment...

 

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. – Romans 5:3-5

Sometimes disappointment cannot be overcome at all, we can only just endure it. In these kind of moments, it is important to remember that we have hope on our side. Our hope is in Christ’s love, our hope is for better days to come, our hope is in knowing God can bring something good from our disappointments.

 

This disappointment I am encountering seems pretty big; but compared to the size of God's shoulders, it is nothing. God isn't shocked by it, in fact, He is counting on me to endure to the end and come out better.

 

What does your disappointment look like? Is it making you BETTER or BITTER? Choose well.

 

BLESSINGS. Laurie