Job 5:12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

How do you handle disappointment?

Pick an answer.

1 My resolve becomes stronger.

2 I feel rejected.

3 I eat.

4 I try and figure out what went wrong.

Each answer I have listed has a source driven by a character trait. This isn’t a complete list. If your answer isn’t included, then look to your own character and find an answer.

1 Pride If your first instinct is to get what you want regardless of circumstances, pride is involved.

2 Lonely, you might not have a fulfilling relationship.

3 Dissatisfied. Eating is just one of the ways we try and compensate for disappointment. It is not the only one, and some other reactions are much more harmful. They center around trying to satisfy self..

4 Insecurity. “I must have done something wrong.” That is the voice of insecurity.

So what is my solution?

Look first to the source of your expectations. Disappointment is the result of unfulfilled expectations. I would even go so far as to ask you if your expectations are realistic. Very often our circumstances drive us to desire a solution which is the easy way out. In fact it does not matter if the source is born of the flesh or born of the will of God. The end result is the same for those who believe.

Romans 5:3-5 tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

These things happen to us to reveal our old character and to build new character in us.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

We own two very smart dogs. The older one, Gidget, went thru obedience training. If you know anything about dog training, then you know it is the owner who gets trained, not the dog. Somewhere along the process my trainer became Gidget. She was teaching me.

I found that my daily training routine became tedious. I had her doing all the tricks I wanted of her, so I cut back on training and treats. That wasn’t good enough for Gidget. She started inventing tricks with the expectation of receiving a reward. I am not stupid. I caught on to what she was doing. So I would reward her for “new” behavior.

Then we got another puppy, Molly. This one also was very bright. She caught on to tricks and treats and as expected, began inventing “new” tricks. Her inventive process was seen by Gidget and Gidget started copying Molly’s behavior. It has been a great pleasure to see these new and inventive tricks these two have come up with.

Here’s the lesson. We aren’t dogs and God doesn’t reward us for doing things that please Him. Not in the moment anyway.

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:

But somehow we get other verses stuck in our mind rather than heavenly rewards.

Matthew 6:4; 6:6; 6:18 (in part) thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Our expectation of reward in the open is not the same as doing dog tricks.

Because the Father is about doing Kingdom business, if we do things that please God then the open reward is in being given more to do in the Kingdom.

Luke 12:48c to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.