Reset Your Stress Response With Scriptureಮಾದರಿ

Reset from Disappointment

Around a decade ago, I got turned down for a job opportunity I was overqualified for. The rejection hit hard and made me question a lot of things about myself: my calling, my value, my worth. It took all the lies I tell myself and positioned them in my head like an ongoing game of Whac-A-Mole. It ended a familiar chapter in my life, and it completely altered my path ahead; though it took years for me to realize that the shift was a positive turning point.

When I reflect on seasons of disappointment, I’m reminded of the story of Joseph in prison, when he used his God-given gift to interpret the cupbearer’s dream. After he’d told the cupbearer to remember to tell Pharaoh about him, he might’ve thought for sure it was time to bust out of there. He was ready. He would finally get out and be able to walk in the calling God had prepared for him. Surely God orchestrated that meeting to set him free. But the cupbearer forgot. It was two long years before Joseph got out.

When we experience rejection or disappointment, it is easy to get caught in the prison of our negative core beliefs. Beliefs like “I’m unworthy” or “I’m not enough” can trap us in a state of immobilization. Fear and anxiety populate valuable mental space so there’s little room for the truth of who we are.

If you’re in a season of disappointment, I see you. If you’re waiting for a chance to use a God-given gift, I know how you feel. You may believe God forgot you like the cupbearer forgot Joseph.

Think about those two years Joseph spent waiting for the cupbearer to mention him to Pharaoh. I bet they seemed a lot longer than the years he spent there previously. You probably know that feeling. It’s the feeling of getting so close to what you think God wants for you, being willing to do whatever it takes, totally surrendered and open-handed, but . . . just kidding. Not now. And when we’re trapped in the prison of negative beliefs, everything feels a lot heavier.

The word no is disappointing to hear. Sometimes a “no” is a “not right now.” Sometimes it’s an opening to an exciting new chapter. And sometimes a “no” is another long waiting game. However, hearing the word no doesn’t change anything about your value, worth, or qualifications.

Can I remind you of something? You are just the right you for the opportunities God has for you. Maybe now. Or maybe later. But don’t expect his calling to match your timing. God’s timing is always better. And his calling can be trusted.

In what areas of your life are you feeling disappointed? How can you share that disappointment with God? Maybe you need to spend some time in quiet prayer, or maybe you can write down your concerns in a letter to him. I pray the following passages will bring refreshment to your discouraged thoughts.