When Disappointment StrikesSample

Using Our Disappointment

The disappointments we face can either keep us where we are or catapult us toward something better. A more fulfilling career. A better relationship. A stronger mindset. A brighter future. Disappointment doesn’t mean a dead end. It may be a stop sign at first, but, in the long run, there’s a yield sign directing us to gauge our surroundings before moving forward...again. 

To recover from disappointment, we have to choose to trust God in the midst of it. This isn’t easy at all. It’s hard to feel like trusting God when we’re down. But, isn’t this the time to do it? It’s easy to trust in God when you’re experiencing good things. It’s when our hearts are broken and we voice our trust and faith in Him that true trust occurs. We must move forward and rely on God to bring us through our pain for He’s the only One trustworthy of caring for our hearts. Consider these two things as you continue to press through your disappointment.

The Point
We’ve all asked, “What’s the point to this?” We want to understand why we experience what we do. Part of this stems from a desire to not waste our time or experiences. We want to know that what we went through wasn’t in vain. If that’s your thought process, then you’re onto something. The best way to heal from our pain and disappointment is to use it to impact someone else. Maybe you struggled with infertility, had a rebellious teenager, had a marriage collapse, or battled cancer—and the list goes on. What we walk through on earth is something that God can use in someone else’s life. What once almost destroyed us is now a detour to direct us. 

To Worship Or Not
If we want to make it to the other side of our disappointment, we must worship God while we’re in it. As followers of Jesus, worshiping God can’t only be something we do when we feel like it or when things make sense—we worship God when things don’t make sense, too. When things seem upside down in our lives, there’s always a reason to worship Him. We can’t keep our eyes on ourselves or what we wished would have happened. If we do, we’ll be completely unaware of what God is up to. Worshiping while we’re disappointed allows us to see the hope He has for us and the eternity He’s waiting to spend with us. When we worship, we’re telling God that He’s good even though we don’t fully understand what He’s doing. 

Now is the time to trust Him to work not only in and through us, but to work in and through our disappointments to bring us closer to Him and the impact someone who’s coming behind us. Let’s spiritually pay our pain forward and allow God to redeem every aspect of our lives.