What do you do when the circumstances of life bring about disappointment?
We all face disappointment. It is a reality of living. How we navigate those disappointments determines whether we are a victim or a victor. I’ve faced a great amount of disappointments in my life. From almost losing my life in a car crash and being left with lingering lifelong ramifications to the loss of dear friends to seeing the toll that a life in ministry can take on family and home life, I’ve been disappointed with myself, others and even God.
Disappointment is a very real part of our human experience. It also tends to be a reality that we haven’t talked very openly about in our communities. I remember growing up in church and attempting to express my disappointments. I was often met with detached responses reminding me to correct my perspective rather than face the reality of what I was going through. While others weren’t wrong that my perspective needed shifting, my heart needed to feel the reality of my disappointment before my perspective could come into alignment.
God cares about our disappointment. It isn’t something He hurries us through or wants us to just “get over.” He cares about the movement of our hearts and cares when we feel disappointed. He longs to sit with us in our disappointment and love us there. He loves us completely right where we are, and thankfully, He loves us way too much to leave us there.
You can’t get over disappointment by ignoring it. You must acknowledge it, invite God into it and allow yourself to feel it. It is only in acknowledging the pain and inviting Him in that we can allow His love to bring healing to that place. You shouldn’t be ashamed for feeling disappointed. You should feel human. It’s a reality of life. But the beauty of being a son or daughter of the King is that we don’t have to navigate it alone. God wants to take our disappointments and turn them into dancing!
Learn more about this subject by listening to Leif’s latest podcast, Life’s Bitter Pool: Navigating Disappointment Pt. 1 here. {eoa}
Leif Hetland is the president of Global Mission Awareness and host of Kingdom Family Talks with Leif Hetland on the Charisma Podcast Network. Connect with him at globalmissionawareness.com.
