Drive Out Disappointment and Discouragement
“If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.”~ Henry David Thoreau
This may come as a real shock to some of you, but sometimes I’m hopelessly at a loss for words. Yes, even me. Betty, who must always be mindful to curb her excessive wordiness. Let’s get real. We’re all human beings, not machines. That means even the strongest among us can become disappointed and yes, even discouraged. Bummed, blah, uninspired, fresh out of wisdom. Busted, dusty, rusty. That was me today.
Ever wonder where that unwelcome cloud comes from? That grey and gloomy mood that descends on you from out of nowhere? On those days, do you want to throw in the towel and give up because as hard as you try it feels as if you’ll never arrive? Disillusioned? Think you’ll never measure up to what you envision for yourself? “Everyone else” has it figured out and there’s no doubt in your mind that you’ll finish last? Well, guess what? It happens to all of us.
What encouragement do I have to offer when I’m stuck under a cloud of disappointment and self-doubt? How can I offer even a dipper of advice from an empty bucket? At first, I sat staring stupidly at a blinking cursor, stumped. Suddenly, I knew what to do. I went to the well I know best. I looked for words.
Disappointment does not mean you’re disqualified
“One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.”~ Linda Poindexter
Disillusion, discourage, disappoint. All have interesting word origins. Of course, the common prefix “dis” is an old friend from Latin and it means having a reversing effect on the word behind it. For example, disability or disbelief. Pretty straightforward. Forgive another English lesson but stick with me. It will point to a solution.
Disillusion. Right there, a step in the wrong direction. We have a flawed illusion We create certain ideas about how things should be and when reality doesn’t square up with our expectations, we get upset. We drive a stake through the heart of disillusionment when we accept our current circumstances while we continue to strive in a positive direction.
Disappoint. To let down, to fail to meet or fall short of expectations. There’s that word again. This one comes from the 15th century, suggesting we did not arrive at a scheduled appointment. Who’s plan, who’s appointment is it, anyway? “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9. It’s wise to keep that in mind!
Discourage. To take away courage. The key here is the root word for courage which comes to us via the Latin cor, meaning ‘heart.’ When we are discouraged it literally takes away our heart. We become disheartened. When that happens, it’s pretty hard to be creative or inspired. Again, a remedy can be found in scripture. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”~ John 14:27
You never disappoint me!
Thank you again. It happens every time. As I think about how I might offer a word to encourage you, I always find myself encouraged. There’s something about putting words on a page whether it’s by stroking keys or pushing a pen in the pages of a journal. I suggest you give it a try when you find your heart troubled. You are such a blessing to me. See you Thursday!