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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil Ephesians 6:10-11
We have all had them…disappointments in others. The disappointments can happen with friends, family, and co-workers. Disappointments can result from misplaced trust, unfulfilled promises, or even due to false hope. We may be left feeling dejected, overwhelmed, rejected, or just plain sad.
These feelings of disappointment can happen because we are under the misconception that others feel as exactly as we expect or hope they feel. This can mean we believe co-workers will put forth the same amount of time and effort in a project that we will. We expect a friend to react as we react and feel the same way in a relationship that we do. As Christians, we always have standards of behavior that we assume other Christians have… like honesty and compassion. When Christians do not live within these standards, we are often shocked. When people have other ideas about how to resolve issues or events, we feel disappointed.
If disappointment is allowed to smolder and fester, it can become anger and resentment. It can consume our mental energy, especially if disappointment follows months of planning or years of friendship. So, what can Christians do when people let us down? How to we get past these feelings? First, we must be patient and not react quickly. Quick reactions may result in saying or doing things we regret later.
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger Proverbs 15:1
And after we wait a bit, we should turn to Scripture for guidance.
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All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16
Patiently waiting, patiently studying the word of God, and praying for guidance will put us on the right path. Consider talking with the individual about your disappointment. Pray for the individual and ask God to help you to forgive the person so that you are living your life as Christ expects you to live.
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive Colossians 3:13
And finally, we remember that it is always better to rely and trust in God rather than man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man Psalm 118:8
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