I hate being disappointed
"We cannot comprehend the vastness of what God plans to do with our future, and it is not determined by the disappointments of our past or present." —Professor Theriot
I hate being disappointed, don’t you?
It’s one of my least favorite emotions. It’s so sad…and disappointing. If I had to choose a negative emotion to wear, I’d rather go for irritation frankly, which is relatively easily alleviated due to our motivation to return to a sense of tranquility. But, disappointment is much deeper and comes about because something, or more commonly someone, has let us down. Perhaps that someone is ourselves. We’ve failed others and ourselves more times than we’d like to admit. There is grief in disappointment that may take considerable time to recover from.
What does one do if the proverbial rug has been pulled out from under our feet and the solidity of one’s foundation is shaken?
What if your hard work is not rewarded in the way you perceive is necessary to be successful?
How do you recover your self-esteem if nobody likes your creative ideas for a project?
What if the small joys of your chosen vocation are overshadowed by a dark cloud that won’t move?
Has God taken his finger off the “blessing” button on our lives?
For these answers, we look to Scripture because it tells us what is true, despite our circumstances. From it we learn of God’s character. In Psalm 16 we are reminded “Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.” His love toward us is not transactional; He gives so much more than we deserve (1 John 4:9-10)! God is faithful. What He calls us to, He will complete. (Philippians 1:6). We cannot comprehend the vastness of what God plans to do with our future, and it is not determined by the disappointments of our past or present. But, God knows our future! He tells us it will be good and full of hope. Ephesians 2 describes us as God’s “masterpiece” that he created “anew in Christ Jesus to do good things”. That means that He is still at work in forming us for our future victories. Scripture tell us that one of God’s names is Emmanuel, “God with us.”
In your disappointment, remember that He is with you. He has faithfully picked up your broken pieces behind you, will be a shield around you, and is leading you forward.
Ann Theriot, MA, ASID, IDEC, NCIDQ
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Human Sciences and Design