My daughter Kaiah loves stuffed animals and there is one, in particular, she adores so much, that she wants to make it part of her collection. After seeing a totally adorable fluffy white pup a little while ago, my husband Kenya and I finally agreed to purchase it for her over the weekend.
Upon hearing the news, she jumped for joy, literally.
But after heading out to several toy stores, it became clear that the dog of her choice wasn’t in stock anywhere. We would have to purchase it online.
Little Miss Kaiah, however, was expecting to receive her lovable furry pet the same day we acquiesced. So when I delivered the news that she would have to wait, her crestfallen look instantly let me know my youngest daughter was sorely disappointed.
“I thought I would have it today,” she said sadly, with weepy eyes, understandably bummed out. It took a while, but Kaiah regrouped and accepted that her initial expectation would go unmet.
Disappointment, whether for children or adults, in matters simple or serious, can be quite difficult to handle. No one likes to feel the bitter sting of unmet expectations, which almost always leaves behind an unpleasantly hollow and empty feeling.
This became abundantly clear after my two-part workshop for WUFO’s Black Music Month Conference in Buffalo, NY on Friday and Saturday (Thanks to all who prayed and attended; it was a great success!). I spoke to men and women grappling with the hopeless feeling brought on by dreams deferred. Many tearfully told me how setbacks, starts and stops, and letdowns made them want to give up.
But I let each of them know that disappointments do not signify the end. I encouraged them not to let a break in the flow of things break them down. Instead, they should seek God for ways to renew, realign, and rebirth their visions within the context of their reality—whatever that is.
I know that’s difficult.
In fact, I think one of the hardest things for most of us to do is accept disappointment, adjust our expectations accordingly, and adapt to new circumstances.
It’s much easier to get stuck looking backward, lamenting what could have, should have, or would have been, isn’t it?
But that is counterproductive.
Focusing on what might have been kills our ability to look ahead and cling to hope for the future. It’s time to look ahead.
To remind you to do this, I’m stirring Philippians 3:13 NLT into your cup of inspiration, which says, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”
When you drink down the contents of your cup today, you will be reminded that when striving to attain your divine destiny, you must first release the past. Holding onto previous disappointments, failures, struggles, mistakes, and hurts will impede your progress.
Remaining bound by your negative history will choke out your divine destiny.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Look ahead. Trust God for the future and know that disappointments are nothing more than character-building transitional phases we all go through on the road to the fulfillment of our Kingdom purpose.
Now let’s pray.
Father, disappointments, delays, and detours are difficult to handle. But please help me not to waste time mourning the past and fail to look ahead in expectation of my joyful morning to come. Today, I release the past and by faith, embrace the future You have predestined me to walk into. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
