Let me confess to missing my daughter even more during these baseball playoffs.  One thing done right in being a dad is turning my girl into a true baseball fanatic.  We even get into the games when our team is not in the playoffs.  You can only imagine how excited we were last year in going to two of the post season games.  Nothing could ever be better than our getting to attend the fifth game of the World Series last year.  It was November yet we were at a ballgame.  Now we have to text or call each other at points of the games.  We did that a lot on Saturday during the game.  Our team won so it made for pleasant conversations.  But there is still a feeling of disappointment in watching the playoffs without her.

Wouldn't life be easier if that were the only source of disappointment?  You and I know how life tends to have more than a few moments like that.  Disappointment is that emotion borne of unmet expectations.  There is a sense that we are getting the short end of the stick.  Sometimes it may happen because the behavior of others does not match our desire.  You can have times like this when the events of your world do not come to pass as you wished.  We end up feeling sad because our hopes or wishes just do not match up with reality.  Anger may even play a role in disappointment.  You may become mad that someone let you down due to the results of that action.  Depression can follow should you feel helpless to do anything to change the situation.  You move from just being sad to perhaps letting those feelings define life.

It is true that disappointment can be a self inflicted wound.  This is not always the case but it is always possible.  Your expectations may be out of line with reality in terms of people or even with your plans.  It may also be valid that you expect more of yourself than is legitimate.  One of the key steps of dealing with disappointment is to determine who is to blame.  But just remember that the goal really is not to fix the blame but to fix the greater problem.  Also realize that you may not be the best person to reach that conclusion.  Your feelings may cloud a better judgement when it comes to these things.  I don't know that anyone can face disappointment in a healthy manner without God's help.  He sees and knows all so it is a given that His perspective will be much better.

Disappointment does not have to be a negative experience.  You can use those times to evaluate why you live with particular expectations.  Are your desires truly fair for others?  Ask whether or not your wants are rooted in reality.  Never forget that people tend to let other people down far too often.  It may not seem right or fair but it is true.  Let God work through your mind and heart to center your expectations in His reality.  Odds are good that all of us could use some adjustment in how we view our world.  Time may be required for getting past disappointment.  Sometimes we need to wait on God to complete His work in life.  What may seem a setback may actually become a springboard for greater grace.  Remaining in fellowship with God is essential to see His purpose through until the end.  And never forget that disappointments can be God's way to increase His presence in our life.  We turn to Him in our hurts to discover a greater help in our time of need.  The irony is that our greatest discoveries can be born of our biggest disappointments. 

Bro. Trey