“Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed.” (Psalm 119:116 NLT)

We sat in a small group and talked about appointments and disappointment, and how, when hope is crushed, we experience frustration.

When I have an appointment, someone has agreed to meet me at a particular time, or I’ve agreed to meet them. Disappointment is the difference between my expectations and what happens.

If my doctor’s appointment is cancelled when I really need to see him, I’m disappointed. If I expect my children to succeed in school and college and they don’t, I’m disappointed. If I’m looking for a pay increase and don’t get one, I’m disappointed. When I do everything that I should to promote good health, only to find out that I have a terminal illness, I’m disappointed.

Disappointment and crushed hope have been friends of mine quite a few times. They showed up when my son decided to quit school. They walked in when a spouse walked out. They came when my drooling over a new car was sopped up by the salesman who said that my credit rating wasn’t high enough for a loan. Again they appeared when I was told that someone else had been hired for the job.

For a shepherd, disappointments might be different. Perhaps the sheep didn’t produce as much wool as he had hoped. Or a wild animal killed a few of his prize animals. Maybe one wandered too close to the edge of the mountain and fell to its death — or ate poisonous weeds.

If I’m not careful, bitterness can stroll in when my hopes are crushed. Unfortunately, there are few things in life that I can control. The forces of nature or the actions of others control everything else. I can, however, remember that God is in control no matter how bleak my circumstances appear.

God is never disappointed — or surprised. He knows everything that’s going to happen. He orchestrates world events and the situations in my life. Believing in His unconditional love helps us to navigate the disappointments of life without their crushing our hopes.

Don’t let life’s disappointments crush your hopes. Trust God for the best.

Prayer: Father, guide us to look to You when circumstances attempt to crush our hopes. Amen.

Copyright © 2023, by Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca  
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA

Used with the permission of PresbyCan and author.