By Chris WittsTuesday 21 Nov 2023Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
Have you ever been let down or disappointed by someone? It is inevitable that people will let you down, and it’s an unfortunate part of the human experience. Human beings are by nature selfish, and we’re easily inclined to consider our own feelings above others. The people you expect to be considerate, such as your friends and family, may at times disappoint you and they may say or do things that hurt your feelings, especially when it comes to dealing with mental illness.
Many people around you might not understand what you’re going through, and this lack of understanding can result in you feeling disappointed alone. And you think, “How could they do this?” This feeling of disappointment is normal, but we must learn to manage our feelings before they spiral into hurtful actions. And we’ve got to understand that we’re all human and we all make mistakes. Not everyone is out to attack you, and the world doesn’t revolve around you, and sometimes it’s just a matter of people being people.
But it does hurt when a close friend, for example, lets you down. And you weren’t expecting it. The world is full of broken people and we’re no different. And sometimes people bring their own baggage into relationships and friendships that lead them to respond in certain ways, especially if they’ve been hurt in the past. And they’ve got a history of this kind of behaviour of being hurt.
People tend to lash out and hurt others when they feel attacked or are disappointed about something, and sometimes we’ll be on the receiving end of someone’s hurt. And we need to exercise patience and allow God’s spirit to work things out in the long haul. And the reason why we get disappointed is because we had better expectations from someone who would possibly fail us. We put our confidence in someone who also has flaws like we do. And of course, if we’re honest, we have to admit that we’ve also let others down.
The first thing you must do when people let you down is to allow yourself to feel sad and disappointed, and learning to manage your emotions is vital for mental health care. Unmanaged or uncontrolled emotions can lead to sporadic actions. It is very possible that you can make a bad situation worse if you act based on how you feel at the time. Think about how their actions have impacted you and analyse why you’re feeling the way you do before saying or doing anything.
The Bible reminds that emotions themselves are not bad, but when you act based on your hurt, you can end up doing something you might regret. And Ephesians 4:26 in the New Testament, says, “When you’re angry, don’t let it carry you into sin. Don’t let the sun set with anger in your heart.” You should also try to look at things from the other person’s perspective. Maybe there’s a particular reason why they disappointed you. Place yourself in their shoes. See if you would have made the same decision if possible.
Express how you feel and ask questions. There is a chance that there may have been some misunderstanding. So don’t allow the thoughts of other people’s actions ruin your mental health, trust in God more than you did before. What can I learn from this letdown? Is it possible that God is asking me to trust him more? It’s so easy to put our trust in what others can do for us because we can see them. But it might be difficult to trust God with your problems because he seems a long way off. But God is always looking out for you.
There is a promise for you in Psalm 34:8. “Taste his goodness and see how wonderful The Lord truly is”. Anyone who puts trust in him will possess everything important in life. Ask God to help you to forgive. Is it possible someone did something to let you down or hurt you on purpose? Yes, it could happen. It does happen. We live in a world of sin.
And there are people, maybe even in our own family, who will say or do something to intentionally hurt you. And just the thought of this is enough to send you into a spiral of anger and sadness. But you know what? It’s best to forgive them anyway. Why? Because God forgave you. We’ve all done things that have disappointed God. But when we repent, he grants forgiveness.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, give me the spirit of forgiveness. I need to manage my emotions and forgive others when they disappoint me. I’m not perfect, Father, but you’ve forgiven me. And I am very grateful. Help me to overcome the pain and scars on my life left by other people and give me the strength to let go. Amen.