Have you ever felt like the world is crashing down around
you? Like every second of this life is filled with nothing but heart ache and
troubles? Have you ever experienced that crippling pain of disappointment and
defeat? Has life beat you down to the point that you no longer feel like it is
worth living? Are you a person who is literally down on his knees crying out
for answers that you fear will never come; and, you scream at the sky
questioning God’s love and goodness. Of course, then you realize that the
source of your sorrows is merely a small scratch on your brand new car; so, you
get up off the ground, pretend you dropped your keys and hope that no one saw
what you were really doing. Actual true story by the way.
Come on now, I know I am not the only person to ever allow his faith to be shaken and to throw a tantrum over something that was really just a minuscule incident in the grand journey that is this life. As my pastor in Florida used to say, “Most of us are like the rest of us.” I agree whole heartedly with that statement, and I have found it to be true most of the time. In fact, it is one of the reasons why the enemy always seems to know exactly what buttons to push in order to drive us over the edge.
As a strategist he is a master, because he has been analyzing and engaging with every make and model of person since the beginning of creation. There is no personality type that he has not seen, no anomaly that he has not come into contact with and not mastered how to defeat. This is why our illustrious enemy knows that the most powerful weapon he has in his arsenal to bring us quickly and completely to our knees is DISAPPOINTMENT. Yes folks disappointment always has been and always will be the most potent assault you will most likely ever face.
Come on now, I know I am not the only person to ever allow his faith to be shaken and to throw a tantrum over something that was really just a minuscule incident in the grand journey that is this life. As my pastor in Florida used to say, “Most of us are like the rest of us.” I agree whole heartedly with that statement, and I have found it to be true most of the time. In fact, it is one of the reasons why the enemy always seems to know exactly what buttons to push in order to drive us over the edge.
As a strategist he is a master, because he has been analyzing and engaging with every make and model of person since the beginning of creation. There is no personality type that he has not seen, no anomaly that he has not come into contact with and not mastered how to defeat. This is why our illustrious enemy knows that the most powerful weapon he has in his arsenal to bring us quickly and completely to our knees is DISAPPOINTMENT. Yes folks disappointment always has been and always will be the most potent assault you will most likely ever face.
Oxford Dictionary’s definition of disappointment is:
the feeling of
sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one's hopes or
expectations. So, what you are saying then is that the enemy has the ability to
affect the outcome of my life and to actually stop my hopes and dreams from coming
to pass? Well, not exactly. The enemy really does not have the power to sway
the outcome of your life; only God and you have that power. But, the enemy does
have one potent tool that he can and will use against you, and that is disappointment.
Disappointment is not so much an act or incident as much as it is a state of
perception. You see, what the enemy does is take your circumstances and
situations and attempt to change your perspectives on them. If he can sway how
you feel and believe on a matter, then he can essentially change your
perceptions and annihilate your faith. He can, in effect, make your faith in effectual.
When you are seeing your life through the filter of disappointment rather than
the filter of faith you will never ever be able to overcome. In fact, if you
are crippled by disappointment you will find that even the most minuscule of engagements
will send you running with your tail between your legs. The bible says in
Proverbs 23:7: as a man thinks in his heart so is he. (KJV) This scripture
talks about the power that perception has to influence a person’s heart and
change even the very fabric of who he or she can and will be.
Disappointment
effects not only what you think and feel, but also your actions as well. A
person who is reacting out of disappointment will say and do things that he or she would not normally do, because they are so deceived in their perceptions
that they actually believe they are justified in their actions. Even though
there are many examples I could cite from the Word of God showing how this
principle has worked on people in the past; I will however, only highlight the one story
that I feel is the best example of how disappointment can twist a person’s
perceptions. That, my good people, is the story of Cain.
Yes folks, the first older brother ever to exist. Seriously though, I am an older brother and I find that the enemy used his very same tactic on me. Just because you love your younger siblings does not mean that you do not wrestle with comparing yourself to them. In Genesis 4 God gives us the story of Cain and Abel. Cain’s offering is rejected by God, whereas his brother Abel’s was not. The bible says in verse 5: “Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.” Here we see that almost immediately disappointment’s ugly fingers are making a play for Cain’s heart. Now, we find God’s response to this in verse 6 where He attempts to encourage Cain rather than chastise him when he says, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” We all know the inevitable outcome of the story; but, I do not personally believe that Cain was just always a murderer waiting to happen. I truly believe that what happened was that at this very moment disappointment took root in his heart and drove him to commit an act that he never ever would have committed before this moment.
In this story we see just how twisted a person’s heart and perceptions can become when they allow disappointment in. Disappointment so twisted Cain’s perceptions that even though God told him exactly what he needed to do to change; Cain felt, that his only option was to kill his brother. Wait now, how can anyone become so deceived in their heart that they could possibly think that murdering their brother was, not only their only course of action, but justified? It may be hard to fathom, but here we see just how quickly a person can become so deeply deceived when disappointment is in play in their hearts.
Yes folks, the first older brother ever to exist. Seriously though, I am an older brother and I find that the enemy used his very same tactic on me. Just because you love your younger siblings does not mean that you do not wrestle with comparing yourself to them. In Genesis 4 God gives us the story of Cain and Abel. Cain’s offering is rejected by God, whereas his brother Abel’s was not. The bible says in verse 5: “Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.” Here we see that almost immediately disappointment’s ugly fingers are making a play for Cain’s heart. Now, we find God’s response to this in verse 6 where He attempts to encourage Cain rather than chastise him when he says, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” We all know the inevitable outcome of the story; but, I do not personally believe that Cain was just always a murderer waiting to happen. I truly believe that what happened was that at this very moment disappointment took root in his heart and drove him to commit an act that he never ever would have committed before this moment.
In this story we see just how twisted a person’s heart and perceptions can become when they allow disappointment in. Disappointment so twisted Cain’s perceptions that even though God told him exactly what he needed to do to change; Cain felt, that his only option was to kill his brother. Wait now, how can anyone become so deceived in their heart that they could possibly think that murdering their brother was, not only their only course of action, but justified? It may be hard to fathom, but here we see just how quickly a person can become so deeply deceived when disappointment is in play in their hearts.
I think it is so telling that God uses the very first story of mankind after the fall to show us just how devastating disappointment can be; and even though this story paints a very grim depiction of life, there is hope. You see, for
every weapon the enemy can bring to bear against us, God has a far more
powerful counter measure. You do not have to be a Cain. You do not have to
allow disappointment to cloud your sight and to affect your attitudes, emotions
and actions. Moreover, if you have already been a Cain, you do not have to stay
one. There is more than hope for you, there are answers.
The first is to cultivate a heart of thankfulness. Thankfulness is one of the natural counter measures to disappointment. Whereas disappointment tells you that you have been wronged, Thankfulness reminds you that you are greatly blessed. You see thankfulness gets your eyes off of what you feel God and life have not given you and on to all of the good things God and life have brought you. In effect, thankfulness tips your perception back to the side of light and life and away from darkness and despair; and, it works just a quickly and completely as disappointment does. If Cain had heard what God was trying to say to him and had been thankful for the fact that God had lovingly told him the way instead of allowing his heart to focus on only the current rejection; than instead of killing his brother, he would have redoubled his efforts and brought a sacrifice that could have been accepted.
The second tool God has given us to counter disappointment is PRAISE. I want to make a distinction here, because I am not talking about Worship but praise. Worship is a different animal all together, and even though it is important, it is not the tool God has given to combat disappointment and depression. That distinction is quite clearly given to praise in the Bible in Isaiah 61:3 when it states that we should “Put on the Garment of Praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Praise works almost exactly like thankfulness; because when we praise, we force our souls to get our eyes off of everything else and to put them on to God and how great He is. So in his way praise is also a tool that God uses to change, not only our perceptions, but our very circumstances and realities. In fact, the bible clearly states in Psalms 100:4 that we cannot enter into the Holy of Holies without both thankfulness and praise, that’s how completely important and powerful these two tools are.
People, it’s time to throw off the chains of disappointment that cloud our hearts and make our lives miserable and unbearable. Through Jesus you can do this; because no matter how far you have walked the paths of disappointment and no matter what you have done, God is greater still and He can and will move to change even the very fabric of reality for you. After all, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One Who Was and Is and Is to Come, and there is nothing or no one in this life or the next that can stand against Him!
The first is to cultivate a heart of thankfulness. Thankfulness is one of the natural counter measures to disappointment. Whereas disappointment tells you that you have been wronged, Thankfulness reminds you that you are greatly blessed. You see thankfulness gets your eyes off of what you feel God and life have not given you and on to all of the good things God and life have brought you. In effect, thankfulness tips your perception back to the side of light and life and away from darkness and despair; and, it works just a quickly and completely as disappointment does. If Cain had heard what God was trying to say to him and had been thankful for the fact that God had lovingly told him the way instead of allowing his heart to focus on only the current rejection; than instead of killing his brother, he would have redoubled his efforts and brought a sacrifice that could have been accepted.
The second tool God has given us to counter disappointment is PRAISE. I want to make a distinction here, because I am not talking about Worship but praise. Worship is a different animal all together, and even though it is important, it is not the tool God has given to combat disappointment and depression. That distinction is quite clearly given to praise in the Bible in Isaiah 61:3 when it states that we should “Put on the Garment of Praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Praise works almost exactly like thankfulness; because when we praise, we force our souls to get our eyes off of everything else and to put them on to God and how great He is. So in his way praise is also a tool that God uses to change, not only our perceptions, but our very circumstances and realities. In fact, the bible clearly states in Psalms 100:4 that we cannot enter into the Holy of Holies without both thankfulness and praise, that’s how completely important and powerful these two tools are.
People, it’s time to throw off the chains of disappointment that cloud our hearts and make our lives miserable and unbearable. Through Jesus you can do this; because no matter how far you have walked the paths of disappointment and no matter what you have done, God is greater still and He can and will move to change even the very fabric of reality for you. After all, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One Who Was and Is and Is to Come, and there is nothing or no one in this life or the next that can stand against Him!
Great!
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