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How to Handle Disappointment

by Tonja Taylor
6/07/2021 / Womens Interest

Psalm 25 (AMPC) has been a great strength to me for years. The first 5 verses speak to me about the wisdom of expecting only from the LORD:

1 Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life. 2 O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me. 3 Yes, let none who trust and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without cause. 4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. 5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

Part of the problem with expectations is that we often have forgotten we are supposed to expect only from the LORD, instead of other people.

Yes, He almost always does use other people (whether they are aware of it or not) to be the channels through whom things happen for us and with us that are part of His Plan. But we must remember (and I'm preaching to myself) that our hope and expectation are to come only from Him.

My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him.--Psalm 62:5, AMPC

There is a teaching to "expect nothing," that someone close to me subscribes to--supposedly to prevent any expectation at all of ever being disappointed, I guess. I am not judging; for everyone processes things a bit different, because we have different backgrounds, experiences, personalities, and relationships with the LORD.

Personally, I can't do that. For me, it would turn into scorn, which could lead to bitterness--and the LORD's been working with me for years to uncover such junk in me, and deliver me from it.

So how can we effectively--positively--handle disappointment? The main way is, no matter how numb, or angry, or whatever you're feeling (and the enemy loves to get negative emotions involved!) is to ask the LORD to help you overcome.

If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you're kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.--Psalm 34:18, The Message

Thank the LORD, Jesus is alive, and Jesus is Love (I John 4:18; John 3:15-17)!

Christ Jesus most of all, totally understands disappointment--from His family not understanding Him as He grew up; to His disciples not understanding Him often, and even Peter denying Him three times: to all of us humans being His enemies because of Adam's sin, and putting Him on the cross to die for all of our sins--when He had done nothing wrong!

WOW! What a Savior we serve!!! GLORY TO GOD!

Very recently, I went through a huge disappointment, which was the tipping point for very similar disappointments in the past. It was hard. IVery hard. I felt numb. I was angry, and bitterness and scorn and other junk rose up in my soul. I felt like I was far away from God.

I was hurting so badly that I wanted to put bullet-proof steel over my heart, so it would never, ever hurt again.

It was all I could do to pray and say, "Praise the LORD," and read the Word. I had to ask the LORD to help me do these things. At first, during this 2-3 day period (which was actually the turning point of years of buildup of this mess), I was saying, "Help me, LORD!" often.

He did. And the significant word in the first sentence of the previous paragraph was, "through". I went through! He helped me; He strengthened me; He carried me.

Ask Him to help you find things to be thankful about. Ask His Spirit of Truth to bring to your remembrance the good things He's done.

Ask Him to give you wisdom. For me, part of that wisdom was just to sit in the sunlight for several minutes, and not say anything. Not read anything (My mind would tell me, You should be reading the Word! You should be praising! Or maybe it was the devil. Anyway, it was pressure, and pressure never comes from God. He is faithful to stir and lead us, but he does not pressure us. He loves us and is so patient and kind!)

Of course, that IS our victory--reading and speaking the Word, and praising the LORD in song and other positive things. But I'd been under such duress that I literally just needed to be quiet in the presence of the LORD, and let Him wash over me and remind me that, no matter what, He was with me, for me, and loved me for eternity.

And that, my dear, is everything.

Through this mess, the LORD was faithful. He always is! He gave me wisdom and overcoming grace to forgive others--and even myself; showed me where to repent, helped me to start being thankful, and put on praise and worship music (even that sounded bad to me for a few hours, and I knew I was not thinking spiritually!), and Scriptures flowing through the computer; and to just flat rest. I took extra naps those days, which for me is a good thing. Praise God I was able.

Then He reminded me that it is a new season, and there are many things changing, but that He is faithful to work them for good, like He says in Genesis 50:20, AMPC: As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are this day.

Lift up your yead. GOD is for you, and will work this for your good!

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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