Saturday, May 16, 2020

WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED


“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.”
-Romans 5:5

Have you ever had a situation when someone let you down? You were certain that he would be the last in the world to let you down. But you were mistaken.

When you are disappointed, there are several paths you could take. The first is the one that most take – the path of anger and revenge. He hurt you, so you will even the score by hurting him. Yet when it is all said and done, your hurt is assuaged a little by seeing somebody else gets it.

The second path is withdrawal. You are not interested in taking off his head, but you just cannot stand in his presence.  Therefore, you withdraw and run, or stick your head in the sand of disappointment. Lilian Dickson, an outstanding woman whose story appeared in the Reader’s Digest, wrote of such a disappointment. “There was heartache as trust was betrayed in one instance… In my heart rages the old familiar battle. My schoolteacher experience says, ‘Off with their heads!’ and be done with it. My mission experience says, ‘When people fall, do not leave them. Help them up and try to get them on the right path again.

Lilian Dickson’s remarks point to the third path – restoration. Do not rejoice when a giant falls. For when he comes down, many weaker, smaller people will be hurt. We are all human in our weaknesses.

When someone you admired proves to be a disappointment, do not step on him nor rejoice in his fall. It takes no great strength of character to see the wrongs of others, but it takes the greatness of grace to forgive and to restore.

No comments:

Post a Comment