I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.  I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.  (Psalm 142:1-2)

The words of Alexander Pope are timeless: "Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed."  Whether young or old, rich or poor, we all experience disappointment.  Family or friends can let us down, or we can disappoint ourselves by letting them down.  Sometimes our plans do not turn out as we hope.  Perhaps a dream has died, or life has not turned out as expected.  Christians are not exempt from life’s disappointments, but we have Jesus to strengthen and sustain us. 

God wants us to be open and honest with Him about our concerns.  We need not be afraid of being honest with Him, for He knows all things.  Disappointment is too heavy a burden to bear alone.  Our heavenly Father listens.  The Bible is full of heroes such as David who poured out his heart to God for help, refuge, strength, and forgiveness.

Due to past disappointments, some of us are afraid to hope for fear of another letdown.  If disappointments pile up, they can overwhelm us and cause physical and emotional problems.  God does not want this to happen.  He asks that we take our troubles to Him.  When we take our disappointments to Jesus, He gives us the strength to move on and leave our letdowns behind.  Every disappointment we face is an opportunity for growth in Christ.  When we place our trust in Jesus, He can begin new and wonderful things in our lives. 

Father, thank You for listening and for caring about our concerns.  Bring healing and strength to those who are troubled by disappointment.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.