Dumping the Disappointment
For it says in Scripture: Look! I lay a cornerstone in Zion, a chosen and priceless stone! And whoever believes in him will certainly not be disappointed. I Peter 2:6 (The Passion Translation, TPT)
We’ve all been disappointed at one time or another. And some of them have been major disappointments. It is painful when we expect something of someone only to find out they are not capable- or willing- to deliver what we thought they would. While it hurts, we can be comforted in the fact that the Lord is with us.
The Lord is close to those who have suffered disappointment. He saves those who are discouraged. Psalm 34:18 (Easy-to-Read Version, ERV)
The biggest issue with disappointment is how we handle it. Most of the time when people fail us we go into self-preservation mode. and we build walls and insulating barriers to prevent future hurt or disappointment. I have done this myself on many occasions. The concern is that such walls are not healthy, and they hinder our walk with God. When we use protective measures, such as deciding not to expect much from others, we limit our ability to enjoy genuine relationships. And it really affects how we see God.
People do not trust other people to come through for them because they have been “burned” too many times. And then this attitude carries over into their level of expectation for God. Because people have let them down, they assume God will too. And then they believe that God wants to treat them with the same “do just enough to get by” mentality that people do. This limits what God can do for them.
There are some key thoughts about this subject we need to consider:
First of all, not all people will let us down, and we need to believe that. We must be willing to be vulnerable in order to really live a full life.
Secondly, we need to check ourselves and how we are treating other people. We need to ask ourselves if we are fully invested in our relationships or if we’re just doing the bare minimum. We must make the effort to not disappoint others in our dealings with them.
Thirdly, we need to know and believe that God is not the God of the bare minimum. He wants to be extravagant in His expression of love for us. We can expect big things from Him because He will not disappoint us.
Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible, AMP)
Dream big, and don’t be afraid to ask God for what seems impossible. People may let us down, but He will not fail us. He never disappoints when we ask in line with His Word.
