Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. The negative effects of disappointment—discouragement, frustration, and disillusionment—have been nailed to the cross!
1 - Luke 4:18 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
We live in a fallen world, and disappointment is inevitable. Jesus knew we'd experience disappointment and warned us about it in John 16:33.
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John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
This warning came with the assurance that we can still have peace even in disappointment. How is that possible?
It's because when Jesus was nailed to the cross, taking upon Himself the punishment for our sin, every negative that wars against our souls was nailed to the cross with Him.
Everyone experiences disappointment, which can cause negative effects ranging from discomfort to heartbreak. Somewhere in our lives, someone did or did not do what we expected of them, or circumstances occurred or did not occur as we'd hoped.
Children who rebel and/or have gone astray, a marriage that falls below your hopes and dreams, financial deficiencies, work-related problems, the betrayal of those you considered a friend, or church-related hurt, among other things, are all sources of disappointment.
Sometimes, our own actions, decisions, and choices end in disappointment and despair.
Throughout scripture, the Holy Spirit recorded the stories of people just like us who experienced disappointment and its negative effects.
After winning a miraculous victory over the prophets of Baal, proving that Jehovah is the One true God, the prophet Elijah ran from Jezebel's threats to kill him and prayed to die (1 Kings 19:4).
David, a man after God's own heart, who was tired and worn because of his enemies, wept and could not sleep from grief (Psalm 6:5-7).
Hannah experienced much misery and wept bitterly because she desired to have a child and could not (1 Samuel 1:1-28).
Job, who lost his wife, children, possessions, and health, felt completely hopeless (Job 7:16).
Elijah, David, Hanna, and Job experienced disappointment and the accompanying effects. But each of them turned to God and experienced the fulfillment of God's plan for their lives!
It is the same outcome we can enjoy when we turn to God and trust Him.
Bible Verses About Disappointment that Restore the Soul
I am so happy that God knew we'd experience disappointment. He provided comfort in His Word, which demonstrates His love toward us and helps us keep our minds focused on Him.
Keeping our minds focused on God produces amazing results, as seen in Isaiah 26:3.
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Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Focusing on the Lord takes practice, but it is remarkably effective! I am not perfect in this area, but I've committed to this discipline.
As a result of that commitment, I've seen a major improvement in my thought life, directly affecting every other area of my life. Click here to read more about the mind.
As we read through Bible verses about disappointment that comfort and uplift us, the one thing we must never forget is that the Lord loves us! It doesn't matter who we are, our background, or our sin—God loves us!
Knowing this truth helps us open our hearts to the promises God provides in His Word and embrace them as our own because they are!
Following are Bible verses that have proven beneficial in recovering from the effects of disappointment—discouragement, frustration, and disillusionment.
In the next section, I discuss how to handle the negative effects of disappointment. But first, here are scriptures that encourage our hearts, help us to trust God and deal with those negatives correctly.
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Psalm 34:17-19
17] The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
[18] The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
[19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
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Psalm 27:13-14
[13] I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
[14] Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
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Psalm 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
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Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
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1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
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Proverbs 3:5-6
[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
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Philippians 4:6-7
[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
[7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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Psalm 42:11
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
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Lamentations 3:22-23
[22] It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
[23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
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Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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Hebrews 4:15-16
[15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
[16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
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2 Samuel 22:3
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
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Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
How to Handle Disappointment
Over the years, I've learned that disappointment comes in varying degrees, as do its negative effects.
If we are not careful, the enemy will use our disappointing experiences against us to accomplish his desire to kill, steal, and destroy our faith (John 10:10).
Though we find comfort in God's Word, the devil will try to prolong the negative effects of disappointment and hold us in a state of discouragement, frustration, and disillusionment.
Whereas God's Word encourages us to victory and freedom, the devil tries to hang disappointment about our shoulders like a living, breathing garment or mantle. If we allow disappointment to remain as a mantle upon us, it will continually administer its negative effects to us.
If we do not understand how to give our disappointment to the Lord, we continue to wear the mantle. Because we wear it, it represents a constant reminder of the source of our disappointment, something we wish we could forget.
Repeatedly being reminded of disappointment, which could be any number of things, leads to unforgiveness, bitterness, and many other negative feelings that can directly affect our character, health, and outlook on life.
Of course, we will experience other disappointments in our lives, at which time the cycle repeats itself. If we're already wearing an undiscarded mantle of disappointment, it is easier for the enemy to wrap another one around us.
The two garments now fit together, weighing us down with heavier measures of discouragement and frustration, carving out paths that lead to anxiety and depression.
But God created us to be free in spirit, soul, and body. Adam and Eve enjoyed that state of being until they chose to obey Satan over God. That sin separated mankind from intimacy with God, Who is the source of our freedom.
But because of God's great love for us, He sent Jesus to die for our sins and reconcile us back to Himself.
Jesus accomplished reconciliation for us through His life, death on the cross, burial, and resurrection. Now, we can give every mantle of disappointment to the Lord, no matter how many we wear and no matter the source!
Bible Verses About Disappointment that Can Set Us Free
The one thing we must never forget is that the Lord loves us! It doesn't matter who we are, our background, our sins, or our pain—God loves us!
Knowing this truth helps us open our hearts to the promises God provides in His Word and embrace them as our own because they are!
We are His children, and we get to crawl into His arms, tell Him all about our disappointments, and receive His warm embrace, which heals, restores, and fortifies us.
The verses in 2 Peter 1:2-4 have become some of my favorite scriptures in the whole Bible! I use these verses often because they are SUPER in my life!
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Peter 1:2-4
[2] Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
[3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
[4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Just think about it! Grace and peace are MULTIPLIED to us through the knowledge of God and Jesus, our Lord! This knowledge, this love, assures me that I do NOT have to wear the enemy's garment of disappointment!
God's divine power has given us ALL THINGS that pertain to LIFE and GODLINESS!
Discouragement and frustration do not fall under the heading of life and godliness. Therefore, discouragement and frustration are not mine, and I can cast them away like blind Bartimaeus cast away his garment in Mark 10:46-51.
The Bible tells us that as Jesus was leaving the city of Jericho accompanied by His disciples and a large crowd of people, blind Bartimaeus heard that He was coming and began to yell after Him.
Many tried to quiet Bartimaeus, but that made him cry even more, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Bartimaeus cried out until he got Jesus' attention! When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus called for him, "he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus" (Mark 10:50).
"Casting away" used here is the Greek word apoballo, which means to "throw off." I can just imagine Bartimaeus hurriedly throwing off that garment, thinking, "This thing is in my way! It's got to go! I've got to get to Jesus! Get! Off! Me!"
The story continues in Mark 10:51-52 stating:
And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.
And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
I remember the day I cast off discouragement. At the time, I did not realize it was connected to a series of disappointments that had occurred in my life. You can read my testimony here.
When disappointments come, we definitely feel the blow. How we deal with disappointment determines whether it lands as a setback, an obstacle, a defeat, or a disaster.
The Holy Spirit is ever present to guide us through the fallout and restore peace to our souls.
The truth of God's Word opened my eyes to who I am in Christ. Once I saw that truth, like blind Bartimaeus, I hurriedly THREW OFF that garment, thinking, "This thing is in my way! It's got to go! I've got to get to Jesus! Get! Off! Me!"
I realized that disappointment had been nailed to the cross! Disappointment will come, but I will not allow the devil to subtly bind me with the mantle of its negative effects!
Today, I am free, and you can be free too! Does that mean we will never again experience disappointment? The truth is that we will always experience some form of disappointment (John 16:33).
But whenever disappointments come, the Word of God has equipped us with spiritual weapons we can use against the enemy every time he tries to slip his mantle of negativity around our shoulders.
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Corinthians 10:4-5
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Over the years, I have quoted these Bible verses hundreds of times. Through them, I, not the devil, take control of what goes on in my thought life.
Here's another powerful passage of scripture that gives us power to think like God thinks!
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Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
We must always remember that God loves us! The enemy definitely doesn't want us to believe that. Why? Believing that God truly loves us and has provided everything we need to live victorious lives eliminates the devil's ability to blame our disappointments on God.
Blaming God for disappointment and all its associated negatives is one of the key strategies the enemy uses to subtly slip his awful mantle around our necks.
We must also remember that the Word of God is the best source of comfort during times of disappointment.
Never forget that Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. The effects of disappointment—discouragement, frustration, and disillusionment—have been nailed to the cross!
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Isaiah 43:18-19
[18] Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
[19] Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
21 - 2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
When we immerse ourselves in the Word of God, His precious Holy Spirit will walk through to victory in every area of our lives!
Place more inspiration, peace, and strength at your fingertips with God’s Medicine Scriptures for Encouragement, and God's Medicine Scriptures for Victory, which are beautifully designed gold tins of Bible verses that express the heart of God.
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