"It was good food. When I asked for the check the waiter said it was free because it was Friday. Thankfully we didn't leave at that point because a moment later he was back with the check."
Have you ever had high hopes of something only to have a huge let down? Or maybe someone promised something and didn't come through? It happens to everyone. When disappointments come we often handle them wrong.
Most of the time dashed hopes mean that we are resolved to never hope again. If our dreams are hindered or don't turn out as we expected then we resolve to not dream anymore. It is just too painful.
I don't believe that God intended for us to give up so easily though. Jesus was faced with tremendous opposition and suffered many things here on the earth. We find that He was constantly dealing with disappointments. There were times Jesus would give someone an opportunity to follow Him and the people would turn away because of family ties or finances. When Jesus entered Jerusalem He wept because He knew the devastation that would come upon the people and all the while He was with them and they turned from Him and even forsook Him and crucified Him. He is described in the Bible as a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
All that we know but think on this for a second. We are to follow Him. Even through all that disappointment and sorrow He never gave up. His prayers are full of life and future blessings. He endured the cross for the joy that was on the other side.
So how do we handle the disappointments. First of all you do what you have to do. When you are hoping for the free lunch and the waiter brings the bill you pay for it. Figuratively speaking of coarse. When life tells you something and then makes you pay for it later just bite the bullet.
Second is you dare to hope again. Allow yourself to dream. Also, be open to God's interpretation of the dream. It is okay that we are not in control of everything. If we were we would make a huge mess out of our lives. God knows how we handle the disappointments will shape our character and eventually our future. Purpose in your heart to handle the road bumps and roadblocks of life well. Slow down or find a detour. Delays are not denials. Your dream may be waiting for you on the other side of a tough season. Trust God with your tomorrows. When you do you can focus on today's lessons.
How do you handle disappointment? What other scriptural examples are there of people who gracefully handled disappointments?
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