You Can Be Happy Despite Disappointment

Proper View of Disappointment

Things may happen that can alter our life dramatically.  For example, we might suddenly find ourselves without a job, without a marriage mate, or without the privileges we once enjoyed. We might lose our health, or home, our friends. How can we cope with such changes? 

Some have found that setting priorities is helpful. Duncan, mentioned earlier, says:  "When my wife and I realized that we could never go back to our former way of life, we were devastated. Eventually, we established  two priorities:  caring for Mother and if at all possible, continuing in the full-time ministry. When faced with decisions, we consider how they will affect theses priorities.  This simplifies everything." 

Many of us tend to exaggerate the negative when we experience disappointment.  For example, our efforts in raising a child, qualifying for a job, or preaching the good news in a foreign field may not product the desired result. We might think, 'I am a failure.' Yet, just as the disappointing start of the human race  did not prove God a failure, we are failures simply  because our efforts disappoint us at first. -Deuteronomy 32:4, 5. 

It is easy for us to react with bitter resentment when people disappoint us. Jehovah does not act in that way. King David was a disappointment when he committed adultery and then had the woman's husband killed.  Yet, Jehovah saw the sincerity of David's repentance and continued using David as his servant. Similarly, faithful King Jehoshaphat erred when he formed an alliance with God's enemies. Jehovah's prophet said:  "For this there is indignation against you for the person of Jehovah. Nevertheless, there are good things that have been found with you." (Chronicles 19:2, 3)  Jehovah recognized that one mistake did not make Jehoshaphat a traitor. In the same way, we can avoid losing friends if we do not overact when they err.  Friends who disappoint us may still have fine qualities. -Colossians 3;13. 

Disappointments can be viewed as necessary experience along the way to ultimate success.We may be disappointed with ourselves when we commit a sin. Yet, we can recover if we take proper and purposeful action and move forward. When King David was painfully disappointed with himself, he wrote:  "My bones wore out through my groaning all day long. . . .My sin I finally confessed to you [Jehovah] . . ., and you yourself pardoned the error of my sins." (Psalm 32:3-5) If we realize that we have not done what God expects of us, we should ask for God's forgiveness and change our ways and be determined to follow God's counsel more closely in the future. -1 John 2:1, 2. 

Next time: You Can Be Happy Despite Disappointment -Prepare Now for Disappointment 

From the Watchtower magazine