Perhaps you were passed over for a promotion. Maybe you have been believing for healing but you’re still sick. It could be that your dreams have been delayed or even dashed.
We all get disappointed, so although we know it hurts, we think it’s harmless. But disappointment is a major heart problem. It weighs us down and makes our hearts heavy. There are at least three reasons why we have to deal with disappointment.
1. DISCOURAGEMENT
Disappointment opens the door to discouragement which makes us feel like throwing in the towel. Discouragement is one of the devil’s weapons to make you slow down or even give up.
2. DEPRESSION
Left unresolved, disappointment sinks like a heavy rock to the bottom of our souls. If we have had several let downs, each one weighs us down just a little bit more. The sadness opens the door to heaviness which left unchecked can lead to depression. Maybe not full blown, but any level of depression is awful.
3. DERAILMENT
Faith is the currency of the kingdom and the only way we can accomplish God’s plans for our lives. Hebrews 11:1 explains where faith comes from: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for…” Hope produces faith. Without hope, we will never grow in faith. Just as oil and water cannot mix, so disappointment and hope cannot coexist. If we don’t deal with disappointment in the deep recesses of our souls, it will stifle our faith and therefore stunt our growth.
GETTING FREE
Maybe by now, you’re realising that you’re carrying some sadness about delayed or dashed dreams. One of the things that makes disappointment so painful is that very often our faith was involved. We believed but we were let down.
Sometimes we feel upset with God. At other times we think God is upset with us. Either way, we don’t think we can tell the Lord how we really feel. That’s not true. Psalm 139 tells us that He knows our thoughts before we even think them. He already knows what’s going on inside and He wants to help us find our way out.
He can handle the truth! After all, He is the God of truth. In fact, He desires truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6). If you will be honest with God and tell Him what happened (or didn’t happen) and how that made you feel, He will heal.
LEAVE IT
It doesn’t stop there. Once you have shared your sadness and poured out your pain, He wants you to leave your disappointment with Him. Lay down the let down as an offering. Give it to Him as a sacrifice. When your heart is free of disappointment, you will be ready to dream and believe again. If you are struggling with discouragement or any sadness beneath the surface, God wants to heal your heart. Come to Healed for Life and read or listen to our books.
This really ministered to me this morning. I have had back to back disappointments that have slowly caused me to drift away from the Lord, cause me to be mad at Him, and haves coped by sinning in rebellion. I know the Word of God and His ways which lead to life. Just yesterday, I was pouring out my heart to Him (which has been hard for me to do) because I’ve been mad at Him for allowing these ongoing disappointments – although I know He works allll things for our greater good and some of the disappointments were decisions I made without the Holy Spirits’ leading. This article helped me. I was acknowledging and doing everything you outlined except – handing over to Him. 1 Peter 5:7. I’ve always struggled with the doing even when I was ministering to others. I would take on their pain and struggles as if they were my own – playing God when clearly I am not. This served as a great reminder of what I need to do continually- “Let go and Let God.” Thank you, Minister Jo.
I am so glad to hear that this has helped you. I’m praying for you now.