How to Deal with Disappointment and Unmet Expectations - iBelieve Truth - October 6, 2023

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us”—Romans 5:5

As women, our expectations for marriage, motherhood, career, and more sometimes don’t measure up to what we had in mind. If not, we can experience major disappointment, so much so, we can miss out on what we have because it doesn’t match up to what we thought these relationships would give us.

Disappointment usually comes when expectations aren’t met, whether by another person or by ourselves. 

Most of us have experienced being disappointed by others. Because none of us are perfect, we can pretty much count on facing disappointment throughout our lifetime, understanding that even if people don’t set out to, some are going to let us down. As well, that we will most likely disappoint others at times, too.

Realizing others can disappoint us helps us to handle it in more godly ways. If we put too much trust and expectations in others, disappointment has the ability to shake us and cause disillusionment in those who let us down, and also in God.

Too many times when individuals are feeling disappointed by pastors, Christian leaders, parents, and fellow believers, they transfer it to feeling let down by God. 

What About Jesus?

Jesus was perfect, His life on earth perfectly timed, and His mission perfectly completed, Yet some felt disappointed because He didn’t come in the way they expected, or meet their expectation for what they believed the coming Messiah would bring and accomplish in His coming to earth.

Certain people believed the Messiah would come and overthrow the Roman Empire to rule and reign in Jerusalem. Others just weren’t sure if He was the one foretold. 

Even John the Baptist while sitting in prison, questioned if Jesus was the one, even though He had baptized Him in the river Jordan and witnessed for himself, the heavens opening up, (Luke 3:21). 

Still, he sent one of his disciples to “Ask Him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”(Matthew 11:3).

“Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see; The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor’” (Matthew 11:4,5).

Dealing with Disappointment

Even though some people were disappointed, Jesus did not disappoint. He fulfilled His purpose on earth, as 1 Peter 2:6 explains, “For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame [disappointed].”

Yet feeling disappointed with unmet expectations for Jesus, led individuals to reject Him and His gift of Salvation. It blinded them to the truth of His ministry.

Whether dealing with the disappointment caused by others, or by ourselves, we want to recognize that it’s a tool of the devil to discourage and stop us in our tracks. Disappointment has a way of misdirecting us in life, often keeping us from good things that God has for us. It works to discourage us from stepping out in faith and trusting God.

When others disappoint us, we want to look at our expectations and see if we had unrealistic, misplaced, or mistaken ones. With ourselves, we want to do the same and not allow unmet expectations to hinder us from trusting God.

Jesus did not let the disappointment of others keep Him from fulfilling His mission on earth and we don’t have to let it keep us from answering God’s calling in our lives, either.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Father, thank You that Jesus did not disappoint. He fulfilled His mission on earth and because He did we are able to receive Your gift of Salvation. Teach us how to help others work through disappointments and unmet expectations in their own lives, so that they can receive Your gift, too.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Fizkes

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.

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