Let It Go
Dis-appointment
We’ve all experienced that feeling of excitement when we get a new job, or are expecting a baby, a promotion at our job or are going off to College. Life is full of great things that we look forward to.
But what happens when the amazing things we are expecting don’t happen? That sinking feeling of disappointment can be devastating. Disappointment is defined as, “the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations”.Our emotions can be so elated for what is coming. We’ve told everyone how excited we are; we’ve made plans, maybe spent money in preparation and in an instant it just.doesn’t.happen.
The feeling of disappointment is totally natural when our plans fall through.It takes some time to process what has happened and move forward. But what do we do when those feelings hang around like a fog we can’t seem to walk out of? Content or discontent…which “tent” will we choose to live in?
We need to understand that the enemy uses hurtful situations and pain to gain an entrance into our lives. God appoints us, the enemy attempts to dis-appoint us. He looks for any crack to crawl through. Creep. How do we outsmart him and his plans to derail us through disappointment?
1. Recognize that the cloud of unfulfilled expectations has hung around for too long .At some point we have to move forward and face that things didn’t work out and we need to re-access our plan. Decide to not be dis-appointed.
2. Pray and ask God to give you a new fresh vision for your future. No matter what has happened God has a plan. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord, “plans to proper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Let God reappoint you!
3. See that your new normal holds a new excitement. If God has a plan then it has to be good! Change can be troublesome but hold amazing possibilities! There is no plan B with God!
4. Realize that this change could have spared you from a greater disaster than you currently know. We often despise the disappointment and can fail to see what we just avoided because of it. We will never know for sure what we have avoided but God knew.
I’m a real planner so it has been difficult for me to accept some major changes that I’ve experienced. But…through them I’ve learned that I can’t control my life (nor should I) I can’t control other people’s choices (dang it) and I can’t go back and change what has happened (anyone got a time machine lying around?) So that leaves me with my only option…keep going and trust that God is in control.
That sounds so simple but can take a good deal of effort sometimes! When people are involved in causing our disappointment its super easy to blame them and not be able to look past the person to the enemy behind the person (I may or may not have struggled just a bit with this one) Life hits hard and it can hurt. I’m not saying it shouldn’t. But we add insult to injury when we lash out at people, become bitter and wallow in self-pity. But staying stuck in disappointment gets us nowhere. It keeps us from moving into what lies ahead and experiencing an amazing future. I don’t plan to waste one more day bemoaning what could or should have been. I live in today. I’m going to look forward to what is coming and plan big!