Disappointments

Good morning, Five Minute Families. As the weather warmed a little, we had the opportunity this past weekend to work on a couple of projects that we have been putting off. I must admit, I have been disappointed most of the winter that these projects were on hold. I was reminded every time I went outside that there were projects left undone, and we didn’t have the ability to revisit them yet. Disappointment is the sadness or displeasure that is caused by any nonfulfillment of our hopes or expectations, and disappointments come in all shapes and sizes. Now, some disappointments are easily dismissed. Ones such as “ahh, I didn’t get the dessert I wanted because they were all gone by the time I got to the dessert line.” We don’t dwell on those disappointments, yet … some disappointments accumulate, and we end up living out Proverbs 13:12 wherein hope deferred makes a heart sick. Likewise, accumulated disappointments can lead to an inactivity - an almost inability to move forward for fear that more disappointments will be around the corner. Unexpressed disappointment or unexplored disappointment may cause someone to become complacent and even comfortable in a cycle of disappointment. Oi. Disappointment can be dizzying. Parents and children alike deal with disappointments. Ever watched your child’s face after you have answered no when they ran excitedly up to you and asked for a new toy that was just advertised? Your kiddo may have thrown a fit. And, how often do we respond with something akin to “oh, stop and get over it. Throwing a fit isn’t going to get the toy for you.” Your child had a hope or expectation that something would happen and now they know it won’t. So, how can we positively, biblically, deal with disappointments? Well, we need to acknowledge the disappointment (any disappointment) and the emotions that arise from it. God may have wired our brains to process disappointments through the limbic system of the brain, which is also responsible for emotions, but He also told us to take our thoughts cap