How to Handle Disappointment
Adapted from Managing Your Emotions
Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.
Disappointment often occurs when our hopes or plans are thwarted by something we cannot help or situations we cannot control. We can be disappointed by unpleasant circumstances or by people who let us down. We may feel disappointment with God when we’ve been expecting Him to do something and He doesn’t. There are even times when we’re disappointed in ourselves. No one gets everything they want all the time, so we need to learn how to deal with disappointment.
When we’re disappointed, our emotions initially sink. Then they sometimes flare up in anger or a sense of injustice as we think, This isn’t fair! As time goes by, and after we’ve thoroughly expressed our anger, our emotions may spiral downward again. We feel negative, discouraged, and depressed. The next time you’re disappointed, pay attention to the activity of your emotions.
But instead of letting them take the lead, decide that you will manage them. There’s nothing unusual or wrong about initial feelings of disappointment. But what we do from that point forward makes all the difference in the world.
I learned long ago that with God on our side, even though we will experience disappointments in life, we can always get “reappointed.” If we have a doctor’s appointment and the doctor has to cancel because of an emergency, we simply make another appointment. Life can be that way too. Trusting that God has a good plan for us and that He orders our steps is the key to preventing disappointment from turning into despair.
Prayer of the Day: When I am disappointed, Lord, I choose to trust You, knowing that You have a good plan for my life and that You direct my steps.
