Disappointed?

"Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.." (Hebrews 11:6)

Do you often find yourself feeling disappointed with where your life has taken you so far?  Are you disappointed today that what you had planned didn't or hasn't worked out the way you thought it would?  If you're anything like me, you can answer both with a "YES!"  It's ok...don't beat yourself up over how you feel or feel that you are being ungrateful because you have these feelings.  Even if you deny that you've felt this way, God knows the truth...your truth.  I struggle with these feelings often and even today I'm trying to push past what I feel.  Some days it's real easy to shift my thinking to a more positive and grateful place, but other days it seems to hold onto me like a leech.  
I've read a lot of the bible in the last 10 years and the strongest weapon I've found are scriptures to fight this war on disappointment.  I've committed some to memory that are very powerful in speaking to feelings that attack our minds and can lead to hopelessness and even depression.  As Christians, we are not called to be perfect, pain-free, fearless and without worry but we are called to use the weapons we have in God's word to fight these battles for us. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword." (Hebrews 4:12).  I know that it is not easy, especially when you are doing all that you can to live according to God's word yet you don't see, in the here and now, any benefit in it.  When I feel this way, I meditate on the scripture that says "No good thing does He withhold from those who do what is right" (Psalms 84:11).  As funny as it sounds, I do believe that if I do my best, God will do the rest :-) .  On those days when I feel like a fool; when I feel like everyone is looking at me and pitying me; when I think every enemy I've ever had is laughing at me and my faith, I meditate on the scripture that says, "Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame." (Romans 10:11).  And when I feel overwhelmed with feelings that I'm just not progressing, like I'm stuck in a holding pattern, like life is passing me by, I mediate on the scripture that says, "All things work together for good to them that love God." (Romans 8:28)...Even the things that seem bad to us...even when we see others receiving the blessings we want to see in our own lives...even when it seems like nothing is ever gonna change, we have to deliberately remember that all of these thoughts and feelings are lies.  I love what some preachers have said "Fear is False-Evidence-Appearing-Real."  Let's remember that these lies are only the enemy's lies to cause fear in us and to make us give up on God and His promises.  Today, make some time to go through the bible and find more scriptures that you can use on this battlefield.  The more scriptures you have in your memory, the stronger you'll be and the more power you'll have to overcome the feelings and fears that creep up on you.. 

Song to listen to: "I Understand" - Smokie Norful