Ah, disappointment! Life has brought you to my door. I have tried so hard to avoid you, and yet you arrive again. Why do you insist on returning repeatedly? Haven’t you tortured me enough?

I have blogged about disappointment before, and wrote the book, “Overcoming Disappointment and Discouragement”, and yet it is the unwritten expectations that take me down this road again. This week, my husband and I are on a 5 day get-away, just the two of us. We are in a beach town in the middle of January when there are not very many people around, and there is lots of time for relaxation and togetherness. What could go wrong? Where do I get started?

The first surprise is that we are in real winter here, and there’s snow on the ground. We live in Florida but, ok, we can deal with that. The big issue is that I woke up the day before the trip, with a cough and slight sinus congestion. No big deal. As soon as we get there, I’ll rest and be fine. NOT! I have coughed so much that my husband is sleeping on the couch in the other room, and I feel exhausted. Yesterday, I woke feeling slightly better. However, after my devotions, a slow start, a shower, and getting ready, instead of being off exploring, I went back to bed and slept over 2 hours. When in a restaurant ordering a meal, I coughed and choked so much I could hardly tell the waitress what I wanted. It was embarrassing. This was not the plan! After the meal it was back to our lodgings.

So, what do I do with this disappointment? I know the answer is in trusting God to lead me and meet my needs. I must resist the urge to snap at people or blame others for my situation. Those are common strategies to my flesh. My husband is very supportive and tries to be helpful. I do not want to be grumpy, dismissive, or ungrateful for his efforts. It will do no good to grumble and gripe about the unfair circumstances I find myself in. It will not help to moan and groan about life.

• ·      I need to change my expectations and my perspective.

• ·      I need to remind myself that this in only temporary.

• ·      I need to have a hopeful and positive attitude; my usual stance on life.

So, I rally my strength to handle this situation. It is what it is! I can still thank God for the chance to be away. I can choose to operate in faith, believing God will meet my needs. I do need rest, and He’s given me the time to get it. I can trust Him for my healing. In fact, I think I feel stronger today. I think I coughed less last night and am more rested. I can choose my attitude and build myself up with God’s word. So, here goes…

Psalm 107: 19-21a ESV “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,”…

Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah; “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

Ok friends, let’s be real. My head cold is not significant in the big picture of my life. There are many more serious things to deal with. It is just a reminder of the disappointment that descends with unrealistic expectations. You might be dealing with a life-altering situation like loosing a house, mourning a divorce, dealing with life-threatening illness, or a child that is in big trouble. My disappointment is not worth mentioning in this list, but it can still point us to the God who loves us and is in control. He longs to bring His presence into our circumstances, with His healing, His peace, and His strategy. He longs for us to choose to follow and let Him lead. He is the answer for our frustration, discouragement, or loss. Let’s turn to Him in our need.

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I always need to remind myself of the truth of these verses. How about you?