Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Dealing With Disappointment

Have you ever gotten your hopes up only to have your dreams crushed? Ok, that's probably a little melodramatic, but we've all dealt with disappointment. From the rejection of a middle school relationship to losing out on the promotion, disappointments have the potential to crush us. How do we handle disappointment?

Some people handle disappointment by lashing out. They attack the source of their disappointment. They belittle the person who was chosen instead of them. They handle their pain by creating pain for someone else. The old saying is true. Hurting people hurt people. 

Some people handle disappointment by withdrawing. They give up. Instead of trying to do better the next time, they never try again. 

Some people use disappointment as motivation. Athletes use losses to fuel their success. Business leaders turn their passed over promotion to a drive to prove others wrong. Good leaders use disappointment as an opportunity to grow in their professional and people skills. 

Godly people trust God through their disappointment. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) wisely states, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." God has a plan and a purpose for your life. While you may feel disappointed, trust God that he has a better plan for your life. His understanding is better than our understanding. Seek him for your next steps and he will show you the path to take. 

How do you handle disappointment?