Disappointment, a shared human experience, often arises from unmet expectations.

For instance, you go to a store expecting customer service that is friendly, smiling, and eager to help you and will listen to your needs and work hard to resolve any issues that arise. Instead, you encounter a person having a bad morning and not really desiring to be at work on that day for whatever reason.

That results in a disappointing experience.  You had an expectation based on an idea of customer service, and that expectation was not met.

Another example is when someone you desire to trust gives you their word on something but then fails to come through on it.

Another example is experiencing a dramatic change for the worse in a person you’ve come to rely on.

These are just a few examples of ordinary roots of disappointment. But unmet unrealistic expectations also fuel disappointment.

We can have expectations that are out of step with what is true about a person or situation.

When Jesus died, the disciples fled and hid and were gravely saddened and disappointed.  Even though Jesus had told them several times that He must go to Jerusalem and die, they still clung to the idea that He would lead a revolt to free Israel and establish His own kingdom.

In their minds at the time, Jesus did not fulfill their expectations, and this affected their souls for the moment. They were greatly disappointed and even disillusioned. However, Jesus did exactly what He said He would do, and things happened exactly as He said they would happen.

It might be possible that, more often than not, we are disappointed by unrealistic expectations in life rather than real ones.

When we fail to meditate on His word and listen for His still small voice in our lives, we can build our expectations, which may be based on unrealistic ideas after the flesh.  Then, when they are unfulfilled, we get in a huff about it as though God somehow let us down.  We can do the same to the people we claim to love in this life.  We can put unrealistic expectations on them, and when they fail to meet them, we claim they have wronged us somehow. It can lead to needless offenses and damaged relationships.

Jesus said something of great importance.

John 15:5   “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The “ask what you will” flows from a place of abiding in both Christ and His word.  A lack of meditation on His word and listening for Him to speak leads to a life of unrealistic expectations that go unmet and result in needless offense.  I encourage you to get in His word and listen for His voice today.