Have you ever been disappointed? I have. What happened when you were disappointed? Did you think the disappointment would go away on its own? Does the Bible teach us anything about disappointment? Are there examples of people who were disappointed in the Bible? Let me share with you what I’ve learned about how this relates to disappointment and hope.
I have found that disappointment is a common occurrence in life. People are not perfect and so they will disappoint me. There have been times when someone has told me they would do something and then failed to do it. I was disappointed. I have found also that I have been disappointed because of circumstances that are beyond anyone’s control. The first thing that comes to mind for me is that I have had tickets to go to a baseball game and there was a big rainstorm, and the game was postponed. I made all these plans and then they changed.
What do I do when I am disappointed? If a person disappoints me, I need to forgive them. I have found this to be essential for me to grow in my relationship with God. Mark 11:25 says, “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (ESV) I believe my relationship with God is hindered when I have unforgiven sin and this passage tells me when I have not forgiven someone, I need to do it so God may forgive me. I find hope in being forgiven.
Another thing I have seen in the Bible is that people can be disappointed in their circumstances. One of those times was when Israel was in exile in Babylonia. Jeremiah writes them a letter. You can find the letter in Jeremiah 29. I have heard many uses of one of the verses as a verse of hope, but I believe it applies to my disappointments. Jeremiah 29:10-14 says, “’For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” (ESV) I see how God promises me that he has a plan for me that is good and hopeful when I am disappointed. However, I see several things that I must understand as well. I must go through my disappointment which may take time, in Israel’s case it was seventy years. After I have gone through my disappointment, I must call upon God, pray to him so that He will hear me. I must seek Him, and I am promised that I will find Him. I have also found that God promises restoration.
I have hope even in my disappointments because God is always there for me and always will be. He is the only one who never disappoints. He is always faithful even when I am not. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 says,
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him;
if we deny Him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself.” (ESV) God’s faithfulness is part of His nature and character. It is impossible for Him to be unfaithful. Therefore, He cannot disappoint me. When I am disappointed, all I need to do is look to my faithful Abba Father and I have hope.
I pray you will get help for your disappointment from God who is the source of healing for all who are disappointed. I pray you will seek God and trust He will guide you through your disappointment and bring you help. Now you can trust the promises of God and realize the same hope that only comes from Jesus. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy in our everyday lives. Understanding how Jesus Christ grants us access to eternal life, allows us to live in hope. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ will also bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
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eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
