Is it normal to feel disappointed in God's plan?
- Thread starter Anonymous
- Start date
We hear your heart, dear brother or sister in Christ, and we want you to know that your feelings are not uncommon. Many of God’s faithful servants have walked through seasons of disappointment, questioning, and even despair as they sought to align their hearts with His will. The prophet Jeremiah cried out, *"Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?"* (Jeremiah 15:18 WEB). Even the most devoted servants of God have wrestled with the tension between their expectations and His plans. But let us remind you—and ourselves—of this truth: God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9 WEB). What may feel like emptiness or brokenness to you could very well be the refining fire of the Holy Spirit, preparing you for something greater than you can imagine.
You mentioned that you have fully surrendered and trusted in the Lord Jesus, and that is no small thing. Surrender is not a one-time act but a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment, choice to lay down our will and take up His. Yet even in surrender, we are human, and our hearts ache when the path ahead seems unclear or when the blessings we hoped for do not come in the form we expected. But consider this: God’s blessings are not always wrapped in the packages we desire. Sometimes they come as trials that strengthen our faith, delays that deepen our trust, or even losses that draw us closer to Him. The apostle Paul understood this well when he wrote, *"For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory"* (2 Corinthians 4:17 WEB). What feels like a setback may very well be a setup for God’s greater purpose.
Now, let us address a question that may be lingering in your heart: *Are you missing something?* Perhaps not in the way you think. It is not that you have missed a step in your walk with God, but rather that you may be missing the invitation to draw nearer to Him in this season. Disappointment can be a gift if it drives us to seek God’s face rather than His hand. The psalmist Asaph wrestled with this very thing in Psalm 73, where he confessed, *"My feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked"* (Psalm 73:2-3 WEB). But then he entered God’s sanctuary, and his perspective shifted. He realized that God’s presence was the true blessing, not the temporary comforts of this world. Could it be that God is calling you to seek Him—not just His blessings—in this season?
Let us also gently address the nature of your expectations. The Bible warns us about the dangers of leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6 WEB) and of placing our hope in the things of this world. James writes, *"You ask and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures"* (James 4:3 WEB). Have you examined your heart to see if your expectations are rooted in God’s will or in your own desires? This is not to condemn you but to invite you into a deeper place of honesty before the Lord. He already knows your heart, and He longs for you to bring your disappointments, your questions, and your longings to Him in raw, unfiltered prayer.
We must also speak to the emptiness you feel. Emptiness can be a sign of two very different things: either a soul that is starving for God’s presence, or a heart that has been filling itself with the wrong things. Jesus said, *"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled"* (Matthew 5:6 WEB). If you are feeling empty, it may be because God is creating a hunger in you for Himself. But if that emptiness is accompanied by bitterness, resentment, or a sense of entitlement, it may be a sign that your heart needs to be realigned with His. The good news is that God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18 WEB), and He delights in restoring the crushed in spirit.
Let us pray for you now, lifting your heart to the Father who loves you more than you can comprehend.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up our brother/sister who is feeling disappointed and broken in this season. Lord, we know that You are good, and Your plans for us are good, even when they don’t feel good in the moment. We ask that You would meet them right where they are, in the midst of their questions and their pain. Father, would You remind them of Your faithfulness? Would You show them that You have not abandoned them, even when the path ahead seems dark? We pray that You would fill the emptiness they feel with Your presence, that they would know the nearness of Your Spirit in a tangible way.
Lord, we ask that You would give them a fresh revelation of Your love. Help them to see that Your blessings are not always what we expect, but they are always what we need. We pray that You would realign their heart with Yours, that they would seek You above all else, not just for what You can give them but for who You are. Father, we ask that You would heal the places in their heart that feel wounded by unmet expectations. Would You replace their disappointment with hope, their brokenness with wholeness, and their emptiness with the fullness of Your Spirit?
We also pray that You would give them wisdom and discernment as they navigate this season. Show them the next steps to take, even if those steps are simply to wait on You. Lord, we ask that You would surround them with godly community—believers who will walk with them, pray for them, and encourage them in their faith. And above all, we pray that You would draw them closer to Yourself, that they would know You more deeply and trust You more fully.
We ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus, the One who understands our weaknesses and intercedes for us before Your throne. Amen.
Now, dear one, we want to leave you with this encouragement: You are not alone in your feelings, and you are not abandoned by God. The fact that you are wrestling with these questions is a sign that your faith is alive and active. God is not threatened by your doubts or your disappointments. In fact, He invites you to bring them to Him. *"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest,"* Jesus says (Matthew 11:28 WEB). Lay your burdens at His feet and trust that He will carry them—and you—through this season.
We also encourage you to spend time in God’s Word, not just as a duty but as a lifeline. The psalms are a wonderful place to start, as they are filled with raw, honest cries to God from people who felt just as you do now. Meditate on verses like Psalm 42:11 WEB: *"Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God."* Let these words sink deep into your spirit.
And finally, remember that God’s timing is perfect. What feels like a delay to you may very well be divine preparation. Trust that He is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28 WEB), even when you cannot see it. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2 WEB), and He will lead you through this valley into the purpose He has for you. You are deeply loved, and God’s plans for you are far greater than you can imagine.
You mentioned that you have fully surrendered and trusted in the Lord Jesus, and that is no small thing. Surrender is not a one-time act but a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment, choice to lay down our will and take up His. Yet even in surrender, we are human, and our hearts ache when the path ahead seems unclear or when the blessings we hoped for do not come in the form we expected. But consider this: God’s blessings are not always wrapped in the packages we desire. Sometimes they come as trials that strengthen our faith, delays that deepen our trust, or even losses that draw us closer to Him. The apostle Paul understood this well when he wrote, *"For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory"* (2 Corinthians 4:17 WEB). What feels like a setback may very well be a setup for God’s greater purpose.
Now, let us address a question that may be lingering in your heart: *Are you missing something?* Perhaps not in the way you think. It is not that you have missed a step in your walk with God, but rather that you may be missing the invitation to draw nearer to Him in this season. Disappointment can be a gift if it drives us to seek God’s face rather than His hand. The psalmist Asaph wrestled with this very thing in Psalm 73, where he confessed, *"My feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked"* (Psalm 73:2-3 WEB). But then he entered God’s sanctuary, and his perspective shifted. He realized that God’s presence was the true blessing, not the temporary comforts of this world. Could it be that God is calling you to seek Him—not just His blessings—in this season?
Let us also gently address the nature of your expectations. The Bible warns us about the dangers of leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6 WEB) and of placing our hope in the things of this world. James writes, *"You ask and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures"* (James 4:3 WEB). Have you examined your heart to see if your expectations are rooted in God’s will or in your own desires? This is not to condemn you but to invite you into a deeper place of honesty before the Lord. He already knows your heart, and He longs for you to bring your disappointments, your questions, and your longings to Him in raw, unfiltered prayer.
We must also speak to the emptiness you feel. Emptiness can be a sign of two very different things: either a soul that is starving for God’s presence, or a heart that has been filling itself with the wrong things. Jesus said, *"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled"* (Matthew 5:6 WEB). If you are feeling empty, it may be because God is creating a hunger in you for Himself. But if that emptiness is accompanied by bitterness, resentment, or a sense of entitlement, it may be a sign that your heart needs to be realigned with His. The good news is that God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18 WEB), and He delights in restoring the crushed in spirit.
Let us pray for you now, lifting your heart to the Father who loves you more than you can comprehend.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up our brother/sister who is feeling disappointed and broken in this season. Lord, we know that You are good, and Your plans for us are good, even when they don’t feel good in the moment. We ask that You would meet them right where they are, in the midst of their questions and their pain. Father, would You remind them of Your faithfulness? Would You show them that You have not abandoned them, even when the path ahead seems dark? We pray that You would fill the emptiness they feel with Your presence, that they would know the nearness of Your Spirit in a tangible way.
Lord, we ask that You would give them a fresh revelation of Your love. Help them to see that Your blessings are not always what we expect, but they are always what we need. We pray that You would realign their heart with Yours, that they would seek You above all else, not just for what You can give them but for who You are. Father, we ask that You would heal the places in their heart that feel wounded by unmet expectations. Would You replace their disappointment with hope, their brokenness with wholeness, and their emptiness with the fullness of Your Spirit?
We also pray that You would give them wisdom and discernment as they navigate this season. Show them the next steps to take, even if those steps are simply to wait on You. Lord, we ask that You would surround them with godly community—believers who will walk with them, pray for them, and encourage them in their faith. And above all, we pray that You would draw them closer to Yourself, that they would know You more deeply and trust You more fully.
We ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus, the One who understands our weaknesses and intercedes for us before Your throne. Amen.
Now, dear one, we want to leave you with this encouragement: You are not alone in your feelings, and you are not abandoned by God. The fact that you are wrestling with these questions is a sign that your faith is alive and active. God is not threatened by your doubts or your disappointments. In fact, He invites you to bring them to Him. *"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest,"* Jesus says (Matthew 11:28 WEB). Lay your burdens at His feet and trust that He will carry them—and you—through this season.
We also encourage you to spend time in God’s Word, not just as a duty but as a lifeline. The psalms are a wonderful place to start, as they are filled with raw, honest cries to God from people who felt just as you do now. Meditate on verses like Psalm 42:11 WEB: *"Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God."* Let these words sink deep into your spirit.
And finally, remember that God’s timing is perfect. What feels like a delay to you may very well be divine preparation. Trust that He is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28 WEB), even when you cannot see it. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2 WEB), and He will lead you through this valley into the purpose He has for you. You are deeply loved, and God’s plans for you are far greater than you can imagine.
Hey there,
We've been thinking about you and wanted to reach out again. We know that feeling disappointed in God's plan can be tough, and it's okay to feel that way. In fact, it's part of being human. Even Jesus felt that way in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking His Father if there was another way (Matthew 26:39).
But remember, God is big enough to handle our doubts and questions. He's not intimidated by them. Instead, He invites us to bring them to Him. As it says in the Bible, "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22)
We also want to encourage you to keep seeking God. Sometimes, when we're feeling empty or broken, it's because we're longing for more of Him. It could be an invitation from God to draw closer to Him in this season.
And hey, it's okay if you don't have all the answers right now. Sometimes, the journey is more about trusting God in the unknown than it is about having everything figured out. Keep taking one step at a time, and trust that God is leading you.
We're here for you, praying for you, and believing in you. You're not alone in this. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and He'll guide you through.
With love and encouragement,
[Your Name]
We've been thinking about you and wanted to reach out again. We know that feeling disappointed in God's plan can be tough, and it's okay to feel that way. In fact, it's part of being human. Even Jesus felt that way in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking His Father if there was another way (Matthew 26:39).
But remember, God is big enough to handle our doubts and questions. He's not intimidated by them. Instead, He invites us to bring them to Him. As it says in the Bible, "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22)
We also want to encourage you to keep seeking God. Sometimes, when we're feeling empty or broken, it's because we're longing for more of Him. It could be an invitation from God to draw closer to Him in this season.
And hey, it's okay if you don't have all the answers right now. Sometimes, the journey is more about trusting God in the unknown than it is about having everything figured out. Keep taking one step at a time, and trust that God is leading you.
We're here for you, praying for you, and believing in you. You're not alone in this. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and He'll guide you through.
With love and encouragement,
[Your Name]
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