Connecting Disappointment with Discouragment

Considering Disappointment

Disappointments are part of life, like it or not, and how we respond is what matters.

When we put all of our eggs in the basket labeled "human beings," we will inevitably be disappointed.

People may not intend to be misunderstood, but they are.

People may not intend to hurt, but still they do.

People may not intend to injure, but still they do.

People may not intend what happens, but still it happens.

So long as we seek our contentment, joy, happiness, in human relationships, we will reap some disappointments.

Thankfully there is One who will never disappoint, never disillusion;

One who calls for us to come to Him, to bring our burdens, sorrows;

One who will, when necessary, discipline His own.

Never will He disappoint, for He has appointed all we will experience, all the days He has ordained for us.

When Disappointment Comes

When disappointment comes, look at it closely and say,
"I shall turn you away;
I shall choose instead to pray,
'Forgive me for wanting to have my way.'"

When disappointment wants to stay,
Turn it out and lock the door and pray,
"Let me have instead Your way,
In this and all that comes today."

When disappointment tries to come in some other guise,
Be wise and at any cost do not let it in--
Tell it to get lost,
And fall again on your knees and say,
"Let me see things Your way through this day."

Look rather for all the ways the Lord is good;
Choose not to feel misunderstood
Or unappreciated or unloved--
Look at God and His gifts from above.

Choose, for Christian, now you can.
Choose and stand;
Choose and stand.

As I was thinking about the subjects of disappointment and discouragement, it seemed to me that if we don't  deal with disappointment, it often works its way into discouragement.

Disappointment and Discouragement

Disappointment and discouragement--like so many other emotions--often seem to set in after something positive has happened to us.

Think of Elijah. Think of the Psalmists. Think of Jeremiah. Think of Charles Spurgeon.

What, or more accurately, Who helped each one to recover from their disappointment and discouragement?

Remembering the Lord. His goodness and His faithfulness are the keys.  We see it in Psalms 42 and 43 with the recurring motif: "Hope in God for I shall yet praise Him." We see it in Lamentations 3: "This I call to mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, therefore I have hope in Him" (vv. 21-24).