by Martha June

How do you deal with disappointment?

Genuinely? Not your church answer.

Our culture justifies “licking our wounds” with a pint of ice cream.

(Or more damaging substances)

I know God has a better way.

I have been disappointed by people, circumstances, church, and life.

Likely, you have been too.

I have put my hope in someone or something, and I expected them to be something for me that they were never meant to be. I have had to face the fact that the temporal things I have put my hope in at some point have left me disappointed.

Let’s be honest; unmet expectations and misguided hopes are at the heart of any disappointment.

I have not dealt well with disappointment. But I do not want that to be my reality as I grow older.

God is teaching me that “His” reality involves letting go of what I have put my hopes and expectations in.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Malchizedek.”

Hebrews 6:19-20

God has revealed to me the disappointments I have held onto.

Each disappointment that took root began with misguided hopes. These disappointments I carried, much like Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress, like a burden.

God never intended for me to hold them. Because life, people, and things, were never supposed to be my primary hope.

The author of Hebrews tells Christians that we have a firm and secure hope. An anchor. Unmoving.

Our hopes were not to “jump” and move around. Instead, our primary hope was, is, and should be, firm and secure.

His name is Jesus.

We can hope in the savior who took on crucifixion for our sake willingly. He did for us what no other could do. He approached the Father on our behalf-became our mediator- and took the punishment we deserved. He defeated every sin that would have burdened us through to hell. He sealed that love gift with blood. His perfect, innocent blood.

The Bible repeatedly shows us God’s unchanging character.

God is our comforter, healer, friend, and so much more.

And unlike a friend, the comfort, healing, and friendship God gives are lasting.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

2 Corinthinas 1:3-5

What if we, the disappointed, went to God first? As a friend. What if we were to reach out and grab the grace he gives us for others. Instead of reaching for ice cream, what if we took hold of the hand that comforts and provides healing?

Christ’s blood has already healed all of our “sins scars” in the eyes of the Father.

What if we allowed him to heal our hearts’ “disappointment scars”?

We do not have to live in disappointment.

And I think with God’s help, we can learn to accept it with grace.

Even if we don’t get the job we wanted,

Even if our health doesn’t improve like we had hoped,

Even if we don’t get the guy/girl we thought was “right” at the time,

Even if we had hoped God would lead us somewhere else,

Even if_______________________

I want to make a conscious effort to let my baggage full of disappointment go.

I want to take that “anchor of hope” seriously.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 17:18

How about you?

Sincerely,

Martha June

*This post was inspired by two songs –

1. “Dancing” (feat. Joe L Barnes & Tiffany Hudson) by Elevation Workshop
2. “Heroes” by Amanda Cook