We had just gotten home from a Saturday morning soccer game when the all-too-familiar chants of “we’re hungry” began. I am convinced that my boys are hollow because I cannot fill them up. But that’s another story. I fixed them sandwiches and sent them on their way.
I was on the fence about fixing myself a sandwich when it occurred to me that there were some Snyder’s barbecue chips in the pantry. Ordinarily, I’m not a big chip eater but those particular chips are pretty tasty with a turkey sandwich. I got out the chips and opened the bag only to find traces of crumbs left. I took the attached picture for proof. If you look closely, you can probably count them. How disappointing!
Speaking as a mother, that’s infuriating that a child chose to put back an empty bag. As a human, it’s just disappointing. My first reaction was to begin to get angry at the offender but as my stomach growled it changed to disappointment instead. I looked down in the bag and thought about how frustrating it is to be disappointed.
We’ve all been there. I got over the chips pretty quickly, but most things that really disappoint us seem to take a little longer. A friend has to cancel plans with us. We didn’t get that promotion or credit we deserved at work. A relationship we thought would last falls apart. Our child makes a poor decision even though we know we’ve taught them better. Sometimes we disappoint ourselves. Unfortunately, disappointment is all too real.
I wish I could throw in a paragraph right here about a way to have a life free of disappointment. Travel this road, follow these steps, do these things and skip the land of disappointment. But I can’t. There’s no getting through life without them. Oh, we might be able to sidestep a few of them with a little planning but we won’t avoid them all. In fact, we may as buckle up and get ready for the bumpy ride.
What I can offer today is the other thought I had immediately after the disappointment of looking into that empty potato chip bag. Goodness how glad I am that God doesn’t leave us disappointed. The hope I have in Him will not disappoint. Actually, it’s that hope that serves as a lifeline through my biggest disappointments.
Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” When we’re facing significant disappointments – the losses left by death, timing that I just can’t understand, a bad report from the doctor, a choice made by a loved one that forever alters my life, and even the times when it seems that God is silent or looking the other way – we have His promise of hope. We can trust Him through our worst disappointments.
I know it’s hard, but whatever disappointment you’re dealing with, hang on. Hope anyway. As David said in Psalm 30, weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning.
