How to have Victory over Disappointment.
How to have Victory over Disappointment.
Introduction:
It is not
what happens but how we react to what happens that is important. “We had hoped…” Those are common words. Disappointment is one of life’s most common
experiences. Life often fails to satisfy
expectations. There are many reasons and
causes for disappointment, sadness of the soul, and broken dreams.
Luke
24:13-21 NKJV
13 Now
behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus,
which was [e]seven miles from
Jerusalem. 14 And
they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was,
while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went
with them. 16 But their
eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.17 And
He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this
that you have with one another as you [f]walk and are sad?”18 Then the
one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only
stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there
in these days?” 19 And He said to
them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and
all the people, 20 and
how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death,
and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to
redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these
things happened.
What causes Disappointment?
a) Sometimes pride, thinking
too highly of oneself.
b) Sometimes sin
Unnecessary Disappointment
Sometimes
disappointment is unnecessary. When a
person willfully neglects or abuses a known law of life, he suffers unnecessarily.
a) Eating unwisely can result in ill
health
b) Speaking unwisely can result in poor
mental health
Judas
Iscariot had an evil heart and lust for gain, which brought about the taking of
his own life.
Matthew 26:14-16 NKJV
14 Then one of the twelve,
called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and
said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to
you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So
from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
David and his sin brought about the death of his son.
2 Samuel 12:15-19 NKJV
15 Then Nathan departed to
his house. And the Lord struck
the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David
therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in
and lay all night on the ground. 17 So
the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up
from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then
on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of
David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed,
while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice.
How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
19 When David saw that his
servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore
David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”
And they said, “He is dead.”
Samson dated the wrong girl, and it caused him much grief
Judges 16:17-18 NKJV
17 that he told her
all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head,
for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I
am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like
any other man.”
18 When Delilah saw that he
had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the
Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.”
So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in
their hand.
Unfounded Disappointment
Some disappointments are created by fear and not facts.
The Disciples thought Jesus was dead, but their own false
expectations created disappointment that had no basis of facts
Luke 24:21 NKJV
21 But we
were hoping that
it was He who was going to
redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
Mary and Martha thought Lazarus would be gone until the
final resurrection.
John
11:24NKJV
24 Martha
said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Mary Magdalene searched for Jesus at the empty tomb, only
to find out later that He had risen.
John 20:16-17 NKJV
16 Jesus
said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to [a]Him, “Rabboni!” (which is
to say, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not
cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended
to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to
them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God
and your God.’ ”
Elijah was disaapointed and said, “I am the only one to witness
for Jehovah,” God said, “I have 7,000
left”.
There is a story in England’s history when a large sign in the fog
read, “Nelson defeated,” and England wept.
After the fog lifted, the English read the whole sign with joy, “Nelson
defeated the enemy.”
Unavoidable Disappointment
Disappointment sometimes comes as a result of conflict
between individuals, other times as tensions between standards of good and
evil. This kind of disappointment cannot
be avoided. Then we must stand up strong
and let the adverse winds blow, knowing that Christ is our anchor.
Unbearable Disappointment
Some difficulties and disappointments are humanly
unbearable. These we must take to Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
13 No temptation has overtaken you
except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who
will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able
to [a]bear it.
Temptation: #G3986- an experiment, attempt, trial, proving
We must never give into not resisting the
temptation of disappointment. We must
triumph over them. We must be masters of
our lives.
1 John 5:4 NKJV
4 For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has
overcome the world—our
faith.
Through Christ’s strength, love, and patience we can overcome
unbearable disappointment. Those
disappointments, unbearable by human standards, can be changed when we
recognize God’s hand in our lives.
Romans 8:28 NKJV
28 And we
know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to
those who are the called according to His purpose.
Through unmasking fears and using faith, we gain victory over
unfounded disappointments.
John 8:32 NKJV
32 And you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free.”
When we put Christ first with Christian ideals and realize that we
live in an imperfect world, we can accept unavoidable disappointment.
Romans 5:3 NKJV
3 And not
only that, but we also glory in
tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces [a]perseverance;
Disappointment changes dramatically by altering one letter. Change the “D” to “H” and it becomes “HisAppointment”
John Bunyon wrote Pilgram’s Progress in Bedford prison
where he spent twelve years.
While in jain, Dr Samuel Rutherford put on his stationary, “God’s
House, Aberdeen.”
Madam Guyon wrote from prison, “The Lord has shut me up so I do
nothing now but sing”
Paul & Silas sang at midnight in prison, and God delivered
them.
Acts 16:20-26 NKJV
20 And they
brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being
Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21 and
they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or
observe.” 22 Then the multitude rose up together
against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and
commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 And
when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into
prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having
received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their
feet in the stocks.
25 But at
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the
prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there
was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and
immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were
loosed.
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