What God Has Promised: Finding Hope Amidst Disappointment

My sister used to tell me to lower my expectations of our alcoholic father so I wouldn’t continually be disappointed and upset. He left when I was twelve, and even though I so desperately wanted a relationship with him, I often longed for what he wasn’t capable of giving.

Solomon, the wisest man who lived other than Jesus, knew that when our hope is delayed or withheld, we can suffer a broken heart (Proverbs 13:12).

As I grew in my relationship with the Lord, I had to learn how to balance my expectations from my earthly father with my hope in my heavenly Father. The distinction is sometimes indiscernible to us, yet it is so significant. It lies in understanding what God has actually promised as opposed to what He hasn’t.

The book of Lamentations consists solely of laments or expressions of sorrow. In the midst of the destruction of Jerusalem, the devastation of the kingdom, and the exile of the Jewish people, Jeremiah wrote these words:

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord’ (Lamentations 3:19-26, NIV).

These words were a great comfort to me as I studied them. God didn’t promise immediate relief from their circumstances. The curse of sin brought suffering, and that is still true today, because we live in a fallen world. Sometimes the wrongdoing of others causes pain to those around them. Just as having wrong expectations in my absent dad hurts, having misplaced expectations in God can bring disappointment.

But as I studied the Word, I learned to discern what God has not promised:

That people won’t hurt us (Psalm 188:8)

That suffering won’t touch us (John 16:33)

That He will do our will (Matthew 6:10)

That He will work in our time (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

The beauty of Lamentations is what He has promised:

His love (22)

His compassion (22)

His faithfulness (23)

His provision (24)

His goodness (25)

His salvation (26)

Even in the midst of suffering, injustice, and disappointment in this life, He is the God of all hope and a safe place in which to put our trust.

Scripture for Meditation

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Discussion & Journal Prompt

What is something you have expected from God that He hasn’t promised?

What is something God has promised that you need right now?

How can you balance your expectations of others with your trust in God?

If you find this content helpful, check out the Dawn app with a daily spiritual practice and resources to support your mental wellbeing.