What Do You Do When You Are Disappointed?

It happens.  A lot!  Someone hurts you whether you realize it or not.  A trusted friend seems to turn on you.  Things happen that rock your world.  You expectations or hopes are not met.  And disappointment follows.

We all know that life is full of disappointments.  They can be big or small.  Most of them go away quickly, but some linger and fester.  It is part of life.

We can let the disappointment go, or get frustrated, or become heartbroken, or worse.  Truly, the choice is ours.

Typically we face disappointments because we tend to put our confidence in people.  We think that we can rely on the good judgment of others.  However, each of us knows that we are not perfect and often make mistakes.  It is surprising that though we know our own limitations, we do not think about the limitations of others.

So what can we do?

We must put our hope only in God.  Consider what Psalm 118:8 tells us: “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humanity.”  We must love others and foster relationships, but we must also face reality.  Only God handles the circumstances of life with true wisdom and concern.

If we can come to grips with this truth, it enables us to realize that disappointments are not final when we allow God to have His proper place in our lives.  Actually, though no one wants to be disappointed, it can lead to deeper hope and faith as we see God work through the mess of life.  “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

As you have, I have faced my share of disappointment.  I also realize that those who disappoint do not always mean to do so.

But I also realize that God cares about me (and you).  He has given me strength and hope when I lacked it.  He has worked things out for my good even though it may not have been in the time frame I desired.  He is faithful, and He will be faithful to you.

Trust Him.

And go deeper into this by checking out the following resource…

It It All About Jesus

One of the most beautiful buildings in the world is the Taj Mahal in India. The emperor Shah Jahan commissioned its creation to honor his deceased wife.  Since it is nearly four hundred years old, many legends have been created in connection with it.

One legend describes how passionate the emperor was to build a spectacular temple for his wife’s coffin.  He ordered that her coffin be placed in the center of the site as the temple was built around it.  Work continued for over twenty years, and one day during that time Jahan stumbled over a wooden box that was covered with dust.  He was upset at the inconvenience, so he ordered a workman to get rid of the box.  Later he discovered that he had ordered the removal of the box containing the coffin of his love – the very reason for the entire project.

I do not know if that is true, but I can imagine it happening.  After all, I see a similar thing happening every year.

Year after year, we prepare for and celebrate Christmas.  Many people get so wrapped up in the holiday details, traditions, festivities, and gifts that they neglect Jesus.  Some see Jesus as an inconvenience to the holiday and would prefer to remove Him from the holiday completely.  We do exactly what the Taj Mahal legend was about.

But it does not have to be that way.  Christmas comes back to Luke 2:11: “Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Christmas is about the only One who can save our souls coming to us.  Christmas is about the Messiah – the Lord coming to us.  Christmas is all about Jesus, and anything else should point to Him.

Personally, I love the music, foods, gatherings, and festivities of Christmas.  However, my prayer is that I never forget why we celebrate it.  And I pray that you never forget why we celebrate it.  In fact, I pray that if you have not accepted the Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord, that you will soon.  It is all about Jesus.

The following book goes into detail about the amazing birth of Jesus. Click the picture to see more…

Driving in the Fog

Something happened today that I found very illustrative.  The fog rolled in.

OK, I realize that fog isn’t mysterious, and it isn’t strange – but it caused me to think (or, should I say, reflect).

I was coming home for lunch when I saw fog ahead – it was rolling in from the Gulf (and we live a block from the Gulf of Mexico).  Suddenly, I found myself engulfed by the Gulf-fog (pun intended).  I turned on my lights, slowed my pace, and continued home. Continue reading