“They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed.” (Job 6:20)
After a long period of continued decline with my health the disappointment of my situation seemed to stamp itself upon me. There is something terrible about continually expecting disappointment, always preparing for more problems. It’s like anxiously awaiting rain under a stormy sky.
I believe disappointment has the power to imprint itself upon us, because even after I saw gradual improvement with my condition, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Sometimes it feels as if the nerve endings of our soul is frayed. Continued friction from additional hardships and trials can leave us in a state of mind where we are constantly on the alert for trouble, always expecting it. Our fright and flight response is in overdrive and it needs but a small trigger to set it off again.
Chronic illness takes a terrible toll on the mind, emotions, the soul of the afflicted. After long years of wear and tear we can be as beat up on the inside as we are on the outside. The soul grows weary from the constant barrage of hardship, so much so that it is hard to keep hoping for better days, brighter skies, and storm-free weather in our future.
Constant disappointment can also cause wear and tear on our relationships with friends and family. Plans often go awry, hopes go unfulfilled, and like a fish out of water gasping for air we struggle to find and keep hope in the midst of a long list of disappointments.
We can encourage ourselves and lessen the sting of disappointment by remembering what we have already overcome and by holding onto the victories that have come our way. We can constantly remind ourselves that our present distress and past hardships are not the final word, God holds our future in His hand, and He may yet have great things in store for us in this life, and certainly in the life to come.
Fellow Christians, you are not alone in your suffering and disappointment. Your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring hardship of one kind or another. Do not lose heart. We are in this together, and we will finish the race together, even as God lifts us up, carries, pushes, pulls, and empowers us to move forward in our personal and collective race in spite of disappointments.
Prayer: Dear Lord, life sometimes steals our thunder with continued disappointments, we can get so frayed and worn out, but give us strength for the race, and never let us forget that You are with us all the way. Amen.
About the Author:
Karlton Douglas lives in Ohio with his lovely wife. He is the author of the Kindle book “Chronic Illness” available in Amazon’s Kindle Store.
You can now read this on your Kindle. Find out more at http://TodaysDevotionOnKindle.com
Do you sometimes feel like life has handed you and endless string of disappointments? What helps you to move forward in spite of your disappointments?
Chronic Illness Pain Daily Devotionals 