(January 15, 2024) Wayne Swift calls it as it really is regarding disappointments…

Every one of us has to deal with disappointment of one sort or another throughout our life! 

Take a simple example… disappointment could be the result of a birthday party that –

• Clashes with other important things.
• Clashes with preferable things or
• Clashes with some people simply because they don’t want to go to!

1. Disappointments vary
It can depend on our circumstances, our self-esteem, our supportive relationships and our level of stability.  What’s at stakes is also a very large contributing factor.

Not turning up to a party – or an appointment(!) – may seem small to you but to someone who feels like no one cares for them anymore it can be the end of the road. 

Some disappointments cut to the heart and are made up of more than just the immediate situation. They can be the small thing that breaks the camel’s back. You know it’s not the thing that precipitates the fall… it’s just the final thing on the pile of ‘things.’

2. Disappointments occur for many reasons
For example when –

• We fail to meet expectations we set.
• We fail to meet expectations people expect from us.
• People let us down intentionally or unintentionally.
• ‘Everything’ goes wrong.
• A victory we gain doesn’t deliver the benefits we expect.

The sad thing is we can all be beset by disappointment, the difference lies in how we handle it.

In this connection, Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 (NLT) is interesting…  ^‘Everything is meaningless,’ says the Teacher, ‘utterly meaningless!’  ‘What do people get for all their hard work? 

‘Generations come and go, but nothing really changes. The sun rises and sets and hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south and north, here and there, twisting back and forth, getting nowhere.  The rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows again to the sea. 

‘Everything is so weary and tiresome! No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. 

‘History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. What can you point to that is new? How do you know it didn’t already exist long ago? We don’t remember what happened in those former times. And in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.’

3. Disappointments, discontentment and despair
Every year 17 AFL teams fail to win the premiership and they suffer disappointment.  A quick browse of the daily papers tells of the discontentment, disappointment and despair that lies all around and is perhaps within us.

Can I suggest the difference for us all should lie in how we handle disappointment. We can’t avoid it but we can get through it.  We ought not deny it, we have to accept it inflicts us all the difference is how we get through it.

The answer doesn’t lies in medication or changed circumstances but in a resolution to handle life in a different way.  You’ll never avoid disappointment but we can learn to move on from it by accepting there is a better perspective.

• Read 1 Kings 19: 1-9NLT and let’s look at Elijah’s story…

4. Disappointments can be handled!
(i) Elijah’s despair (v1-3)
When Ahab got home, he had told Jezebel what Elijah had done, he’d slaughtered the prophets of Baal.  With fury Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: ‘May the gods also kill me if by this time tomorrow I have failed to take your life like those whom you killed.’

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah…

(ii) Elijah’s discontentment (v4-5a)
Then Elijah hurriedly went on alone into the desert, travelling all day. Sitting down under a solitary broom tree he foolishly prayed that he might die.

Then Elijah hurriedly went on alone into the desert, travelling all day. Sitting down under a solitary broom tree he foolishly prayed that he might die.

‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and slept under a broom tree.

(iii) Elijah’s disturbance (v5b-7)
But… as he was sleeping, an angel [of the Lord] touched him and told him, ‘Get up and eat!’ Surprised, Elijah looked around and saw some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again to sleep.

The angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat some more, for there is a long journey ahead of you.’

(iv) Elijah’s decision (v8-9)
So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.

The greatest of victories for Elijah (1 Kings 18:20ff) had been followed by the greatest of disappointments. Victory is neither an inoculation for disappointment nor an antidote. 

Fear had gripped Elijah and disappointment grabbed hold of him in such a way that he was ready to give up. But God had the comforting solution!

5. Disappointments can be overcome!
God’s S.O.S solution above gave Elijah practical, simple and effective advice…
S. Sleep, eat and drink – restore your strength.
O. Open your ears.
S. Surrender to God, allowing Him to put things in perspective!

In reality… to overcome disappointment, you must admit that you want help! Then you must be willing to listen to someone that you believe can help you – and not just or only a human counsellor but God Himself!

And… you must be willing to respond and take action no matter how difficult it may be!

6. Disappointments’ overcoming ‘secret’
Note that the secret to dealing with disappointment lies in experiencing the community God created you for –

• It starts with God.
• It extends to others.
• It finds completion within!

Community is the foundation of our being and the primary reason for our existence. At its root community is the non-verbal exchange of pure love between at least two persons. It’s communication in its ultimate form – supportive, embracing, encouraging and empowering. 

God will support us when disappointments slam us! And having overcome ourselves with His support, from our experience we in turn can help others.

7. Disappointments can be controlled
Genesis 1:26-27NLT informs us that in the beginning God had said, ‘Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life…’

Masters in life! Knowing what His creation would have to face, God has been encouraging from the beginning! This word ‘masters’ in other versions is ‘rule’ or ‘have dominion’ or ‘power’: the Hebrew word that it’s translated from is râdâh, a meaning of which is subjugate that is, control.

Life can bring disappointments for all of us in one way or another. But because we have great hope in our God through our faith in Jesus, we can be ‘masters of all life.’ We can win through when disappointments come our way.

Romans 5:5NLT is  great assurance here: ‘And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.’ 

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Wayne and Ruth Swift pastor Resound Church, Scoresby, Victoria. Link: Web resound.church
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