Beyond Lands of Disappointment

Is there anything more common than disappointment? We arrive at countless moments in our lives where hope stands shredded. Yet, in context, nearly all of these are fabrications of real disappointment. But we are affected nonetheless. And disappointment is not just about our flailing happiness; each time it is very much a milestone along the wrong road. But beyond lands of disappointment lies a better road. It is our opportunity to realise our wrong way and travel again on the right way.

When disappointment no longer stalls us we have determined the way to victory of soul. God has won us back.

Getting Past Our Worldly Allegiances

No matter how spiritual we get we always have our worldly allegiances to deal with. These are underpinned by primal desires.

Besides the truly significant things—those that, when we lose them, cause us grief—we place a lot of stock in generally insignificant things. And because we can’t control the world we are more or less, by these allegiances, controllable. Our hope plummets in a moment upon bad news.

We need to get beyond being controllable.

Getting past our worldly allegiances is a problem for us. We can never do it sustainably without reminders from God. We would benefit from steady and constant reminders to let go of everything that sets itself up against the purposes of God. We are idolaters by nature. On good days we let go with pleasure, but on less favourable days we naturally grapple with life. And the more we grasp the more we lose, and the more we lose the more we lose sight of the real power in life.

Remembering the Sun Rises Each Day

Maybe we have perennial issues regarding letting go. We always want to hold on.

Yet, as we remember the sun rises each day, the same as it did the previous day, we recall the ancient path is ever close, repetitive, and abundantly accessible. We can jump back on the right path in an instant, by the choice we make to let go and make things simple again.

No matter the nature of the disappointment before us, no matter its steeply harsh gradient, or the peculiarities of its rugged landscape, no disappointment can crush us if we remember hope will arrive again.

The more we remind ourselves how little we have—how little we actually possess—the easier it is to let go and to hold the prizes of the world loosely. In this, however, we also remind ourselves of the things we can actually possess: hope for the sunrise; visions of the sun setting; air to breathe; food to eat; pleasant conversation; and, a million and more in addition.

***

Beyond our lands of disappointment lies a better road. To know God we need to let go of many things that rock our world. Beyond disappointment is hope: its roots are in God.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.