When We Feel Disillusioned — Morning Devotions

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Transcript

Has life turned out the way you thought it would, or has it dawned on you that things have not worked out as you’d hoped for? Are you feeling a bit disillusioned about life and is there a feeling somewhere deep inside that life’s too difficult, there’s no real meaning or purpose? There can come a time when our hopes and dreams for life don’t materialise. You feel disappointed, disillusioned.

And then you get downhearted or depressed, cynical, and you cease to believe in what’s possible and lose your own faith and give up. Being disillusioned can occur at any stage in life. Perhaps you’ve had a dream of how you want your life to unfold, or you had some career plans, and then you had a desire for your ideal partner. You’ve pictured where you’d be living and how you’d be doing. Even you might have had a sense of how you would be. It could be that when you started out, life seemed very exciting.

And when you’ve thought about the future, you have this thrill of excitement. Things are gonna be really good.

What do we do when life goes so far from the plan?

Have you ever watched a movie and then said to yourself, what’s the point of all that? I’m afraid that many people live lives like that. What’s the point? Life comes along, throwing up its challenges, the job wasn’t what you wanted, you had difficulties getting the career project off the ground, or your partner wasn’t quite what you’d longed for. The relationship proved rocky.

And you didn’t end up where you wanted.

Money could have been a challenge. Maybe you’ve had health problems. Could be you didn’t get that ideal home, or some big crisis came along. I want to say today that God has His own unique way of reaching out to the disillusioned soul, and that could be you today. You feel sad, alone, thinking no one’s going to understand. And what’s more, disillusionment is not a new problem.

In the Old Testament we read about Jeremiah. He was one of the greatest prophets of all time, yet there was a time in his life he was disillusioned. He’d had a rough time, and he cried out to God. Actually, he was complaining, Oh Lord, you deceived me, and I was deceived. You overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long. Everyone mocks me, whenever I speak, I cry out, proclaiming violence and destruction. And so the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.

That’s from Jeremiah chapter 20. I would interpret his words in this way, God, this isn’t working out the way you said it would. Why does God allow all this to happen? Can anyone pick up the pieces of a shattered dream and put it back together?

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Yes, actually God can, and he does.

He can change a heart full of disappointment and disillusionment.

And if you find yourself in that state, you’re not alone. Actually, the Oxford Dictionary defines disillusionment as a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be. But we forget that God is sovereign, and by that I mean He’s in charge of everything, including your life. He is much bigger than your negative feelings. We have a God who is in control all the time.

Whilst it’s true many things are outside our control, God brings hope out of uncertainty, for He has ordained every single one of our steps. He knew our beginnings. He knows our end. God is sovereign. He’s in control. And when your life feels like it’s spinning out of control, remember that God is not spinning out of control. Reach out to Him and trust Him.

His plans are so much bigger than our intervention can muster.

He is so much grander than we could ever imagine. God is good, no matter the outcome. There is a wonderful verse in Psalm 42:11. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my saviour and my God.

Now take that verse to heart. Make it your prayer when you’re feeling downcast. Remember the good days you’ve had, don’t dwell on the negatives.

I like the way that one author says life is not the mountain tops, it’s the walking in between. You can’t live on the emotional mountain top all the time. Being disappointed, that’s a reality. You’re going to feel like that. Another psalmist puts his hope in the words of Psalm 16. You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need.

Sure, other things may extend my happiness, but they certainly won’t be the main reason for it. I think it’s time for a life renewal. You can turn that sense of hopelessness into joy with faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ. Give your life over to Jesus.

Let’s Pray

Lord, it is human to feel disillusioned and down at times, but Lord, don’t leave me there. Help me to look up, to trust you, to read your word, and to find new faith today. Amen.

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