I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 (NIV)
We all deal with it. Disappointment.
At some point in our lives, we will run at 100mph headlong into that brick wall of disappointment. You can be cruising along, humming a happy little tune, and then BAM, you’re flat on your back. You lay there stunned, blinking, and trying to figure out what happened and where everything went wrong.
Sometimes, disappointment comes because we have a skewed set of expectations. We either don’t communicate our expectations for a situation well, or we manufacture expectations in a scenario in our minds, and then when the situation doesn’t turn out how we think it should—BAM—brick wall.
Sometimes, disappointment comes because of our own decision-making. Maybe we don’t take the time to ask all the right questions, or maybe we make too quick a decision, or we wait way too long. In those cases, when it does come, we walk that line between being mad at ourselves and mad at the situation, but regardless, we’ve arrived at that brick wall again.
But what about when you’ve sought wise counsel and then made a decision that seemed solid but wasn’t? Or when you’ve worked hard at something you believed in, and then it fell flat? Or, worse, what do you do when the brick wall of disappointment you have encountered is the realization that a prayer has not been answered, a cry seemingly unheard, and Heaven is silent?
So hard.
How do we learn to dance our way out of that? How do we pick up our broken bodies and minds and hearts after the impact with the wall and walk away dancing and not damaged?
It’s possible. It’s not easy, but it’s possible.
Jesus reminds us, without sugarcoating, that “in this world, you WILL have trouble” (emphasis mine, but let’s be serious; he probably said it that way too). He quickly follows that statement up with “but take heart.”
Take heart.
How do we hold the emotions of expectation in one hand and the recognition of reality in the other? Remember the final part of that passage. “Take heart, for I have overcome the world.”
That’s the brick buster. That’s what allows our feet to find freedom in the midst of whatever we’re walking through. Even when Heaven is silent.
One of my favorite ways to bust through those brick walls and dance on disappointment is with worship. Worship is a weapon we’ve been given to destroy those brick walls in our lives. It’s not just singing songs; it’s an opportunity to align my heart with the Father and gain his perspective. It allows me to war-worship for my sisters and take quiet moments in awe to shift the atmosphere of my life and make those walls seem weak. Worship during the Chosen conference is always incredibly powerful, so come with your expectations set on level 10! God will do something incredible as we focus our attention on him.
Seacoast Music has a new album out on September 6th called Courage. The worship songs it contains are filled with hope and the truth of the Gospel and elevate the name of Jesus above all circumstances. I can’t think of a better soundtrack to take along on the journey. Let’s use those bricks you’ve busted through to create a newly opened pathway, strengthened with your testimony of how Jesus has walked with you through it all. This victory has been there all along.
Just beyond the wall is where a dance party is happening, just waiting for you to join in.
Reflect
What is your favorite “worship weapon” these days to dance on disappointment?