Be Tempered by Disappointment

When we find ourselves looking at the high mountain of disappointment, how do we get over it?

First, we must let go.

We have to let go of memories that might pull us back or tempt us to long for what some may call "the good old days." The past must be relegated to the past if we are going to accomplish anything in the present.

It may be that some of us need let go of some painful memory from the past. It may mean that we need to forgive someone - even though they won't admit they have done anything wrong. It may be that we need to let go of some dream that is always pulling us in the wrong direction. Regardless of what it is, if it is holding us back, we need to let it go!

Another step we must take to get past discouragement and disappointment is to look up.

As much as is possible, we need to turn our eyes away from our pain, our problems and our disappointments and toward our God, who is greater than anything we might face. The God who stood with David in the Valley of Elah when he faced mighty Goliath is the same God who stands with us in all our battles. When our God is big, our battles will be small!

Now, I realize there are those of you who don't believe in the God of the Bible. I hope I didn't lose you with that last paragraph. Instead, I would urge you to take a moment to seek that which is greater than yourselves; look outside of yourselves for some source of strength and hope, and grab hold of that source to help get your eyes off the troubles of today.

In addition to letting the past be the past, and looking outside ourselves for a source of strength and direction, we need to look ahead.

Right now, the world is in turmoil. But if we take a look at history, we will find this has been the way of the world for thousands of years. The Persians toppled the Babylonians; the Greeks defeated the Persians; the Romans conquered the Greeks, and so on.

The turmoil of the world too often sifts all the way down to our own lives in one way or another. Our hope -- and our prayer -- should be that things will get better. We must optimistically look for a better tomorrow.

Lastly, to overcome disappointment and discouragement we must get to work.

At times we tend to sit around and stew and have pity-party after pity-party. When we get discouraged and disappointed, there is a tendency for us to want to just quit on life. But we must not quit -- we must get to work.

We all find ourselves discouraged and disappointed from time to time, but we should never allow that to distract us from what has been laid out for us to accomplish in our lives; we should never let discouragement and disappointment keep us from working for a better tomorrow.

Is there a mountain of disappointment looming in front of you? Do you find yourself looking back more often than you find yourself looking ahead? Do you ever find yourself making fruitless and foolish comparisons? Do you ever find yourself asking, "What's the use?"

How will you get past that mountain that threatens to stop you?

Try to let go, look up, look ahead, and get to work". If we can do that, chances are we will see that mountain of discouragement and disappointment evaporate into nothing.

Someone once said, "Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it."

What will you do with your disappointments? Will you allow them to stop you? Or, will you let them strengthen, temper and intensify your life?

The choice is yours.