Is it wrong to feel disappointment with God?

Disappointment with God is not necessarily wrong or sinful; rather, it is a part of the human condition. The word disappointment means "a feeling of dissatisfaction when one’s hopes, desires, and expectations fail to come to pass." When God somehow fails to satisfy our hopes or does not live up to our expectations, disappointment inevitably follows. If God does not perform in the manner we think He should, we become disillusioned with Him and dissatisfied with His performance. This can lead to a wavering faith in God, especially in His sovereignty and His goodness.

When God does not act when we think He should act, it is not because He is unable to do so. Rather, He simply chooses not to. While this might seem an arbitrary or capricious act on His part, the exact opposite is true. God chooses to act or not to act according to His perfect and holy will in order to bring about His righteous purposes. Nothing happens that is out of God’s plan. He has control of every molecule that floats around in the universe, and God’s will encompasses every act and decision made by every person throughout the world at all times. He tells us in Isaiah 46:11, “From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” Even the birds are somehow part of His foreordained plan. Furthermore, there are times when He chooses to let us know His plans (Isaiah 46:10), and times when He does not. Sometimes we understand what He is doing; sometimes we do not (Isaiah 55:9). One thing we do know for sure: if we belong to Him, whatever He does will be to our benefit, whether or not we understand it (Romans 8:28).

The key to avoiding disappointment with God is to align our wills with His and to submit to His will in all things. Doing so will not only keep us from being disappointed with God, but it will also preclude grumbling and complaining about the events that occur in our lives. The Israelites in the desert griped and questioned God on several occasions, despite having seen miraculous displays of His power in the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and quail in the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord that followed them in the form of a pillar of fire (Exodus 15–16; Numbers 14:2-37). Despite God’s continual faithfulness to His people, they grumbled and were disappointed with God because He did not act as they thought He should. Rather than submitting to His will and trusting Him, they were in a constant state of turmoil and confusion.

When we align our wills with God’s will and when we can say, with Jesus, “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42), then we find the contentment Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 and Philippians 4:11-12. Paul had learned to be content with whatever God sent his way. He trusted God and submitted to His will, knowing that a holy, righteous, perfect, loving, and merciful God would work all things together for his good because that is what He promised. When we see God in that light, we cannot possibly be disappointed with Him. Rather, we submit willingly to our heavenly Father, knowing that His will is perfect and that everything He brings to pass in our lives will be for our good and His glory.

PstBiola:
Is it wrong to feel disappointment with God?

Disappointment with God is not necessarily wrong or sinful; rather, it is a part of the human condition. The word disappointment means "a feeling of dissatisfaction when one’s hopes, desires, and expectations fail to come to pass." When God somehow fails to satisfy our hopes or does not live up to our expectations, disappointment inevitably follows. If God does not perform in the manner we think He should, we become disillusioned with Him and dissatisfied with His performance. This can lead to a wavering faith in God, especially in His sovereignty and His goodness.

When God does not act when we think He should act, it is not because He is unable to do so. Rather, He simply chooses not to. While this might seem an arbitrary or capricious act on His part, the exact opposite is true. God chooses to act or not to act according to His perfect and holy will in order to bring about His righteous purposes. Nothing happens that is out of God’s plan. He has control of every molecule that floats around in the universe, and God’s will encompasses every act and decision made by every person throughout the world at all times. He tells us in Isaiah 46:11, “From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” Even the birds are somehow part of His foreordained plan. Furthermore, there are times when He chooses to let us know His plans (Isaiah 46:10), and times when He does not. Sometimes we understand what He is doing; sometimes we do not (Isaiah 55:9). One thing we do know for sure: if we belong to Him, whatever He does will be to our benefit, whether or not we understand it (Romans 8:28).

The key to avoiding disappointment with God is to align our wills with His and to submit to His will in all things. Doing so will not only keep us from being disappointed with God, but it will also preclude grumbling and complaining about the events that occur in our lives. The Israelites in the desert griped and questioned God on several occasions, despite having seen miraculous displays of His power in the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and quail in the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord that followed them in the form of a pillar of fire (Exodus 15–16; Numbers 14:2-37). Despite God’s continual faithfulness to His people, they grumbled and were disappointed with God because He did not act as they thought He should. Rather than submitting to His will and trusting Him, they were in a constant state of turmoil and confusion.

When we align our wills with God’s will and when we can say, with Jesus, “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42), then we find the contentment Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 and Philippians 4:11-12. Paul had learned to be content with whatever God sent his way. He trusted God and submitted to His will, knowing that a holy, righteous, perfect, loving, and merciful God would work all things together for his good because that is what He promised. When we see God in that light, we cannot possibly be disappointed with Him. Rather, we submit willingly to our heavenly Father, knowing that His will is perfect and that everything He brings to pass in our lives will be for our good and His glory.

Great post.

I am reading one of Philip Yanceys book with same title .

From our angle as humans we get disappointed with God sometimes because we feel he is slow to act and sometimes for his seeming silence.....even the most annointed men get disappointed once in a while but it should be transient...somehow I feel John the Baptist was so disappointed and remained in that state which possibly opened the door for the Devils other plans .

read psalm 13 and 22 and see the cry of disappointment.


my confusion many times is knowing the difference between suffering that is the will of God and the one that is orchestrated by the Devil which has to be resisted in the place of prayer .

babytoun:




my confusion many times is knowing the difference between suffering that is the will of God and the one that is orchestrated by the Devil which has to be resisted in the place of prayer .

Once you did not take any step or decision without God, everypoint in time u know the Job, the marriage, ur location, ur investment, is based on God's will... Its enough to know every challenge that's comes is the will of God to make u stronger christain.....it's our flaky or canal decision making that makes us fear and doubt not knowing if this challenge is an oppression or a test

1StopRudeness:


Once you did not take any step or decision without God, everypoint in time u know the Job, the marriage, ur location, ur investment, is based on God's will... Its enough to know every challenge that's comes is the will of God to make u stronger christain.....it's our flaky or canal decision making that makes us fear and doubt not knowing if this challenge is an oppression or a test

Thanks

my point however is that sometimes the Devil or his agents can be behind some occurrences in our life and they will be very happy if we just sit back and see it as Gods will . i think the Devil can be cheating us sometimes with this strategy

babytoun:


Thanks

my point however is that sometimes the Devil or his agents can be behind some occurrences in our life and they will be very happy if we just sit back and see it as Gods will . i think the Devil can be cheating us sometimes with this strategy

Wateva the challenge is...oga..u are not suppose to seat back...becos a challenge is under God's permissive will...doesn't mean u will sit back and it will just go away.... U think despite the fact that job's problem was under God's permissive will, means that he will automatically come out of it...??
No that sickness could have taken his life if job ddnt do the right thing...