There seems to be an old truism of human nature...”people will disappoint us.” (Some synonyms of “disappoint” are: frustration, dissatisfaction, letdown, disillusionment.) When we feel disappointed in people, we can become critical, judgmental, unforgiving, and sometimes even cruel. In order to keep from these ungodly reactions, our focus should be on God and not on our “people disappointments.” By that I mean, we know each of us battles with a sin nature. That sin nature will surface in others and in ourselves which will result in disappointment. We have to be careful in how we respond to these “disappointments.” We have to understand that each of us is on a journey called “sanctification”...or...becoming more like Christ. On this “journey” we all will be disappointing at times. Our response to people who disappoint us found in God's counsel to us in Romans 12:16-21 - “do not be haughty of mind,” “do not be wise in your own estimation,” “never pay back evil for evil,” “so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men,” “leave room for God...I will repay says the Lord.” In other words, God is more than capable of dealing with “disappointing people”...trust God and leave it to Him to work in their lives.
Of course there is a corollary here too...perhaps your “disappoints” in others is unfounded. Maybe you're not evaluating the situation correctly. You're not omniscient. You really don't know all the parameters...all the reasons for the supposed “disappointment.” Maybe the problem is more with us. Again, our focus must turn to God and His working in our own lives.

Today's My Utmost for His Highest speaks to this topic:

“Unless our human relationships are based in God, they will end in a disillusionment that makes us cynical, severe, and unkind in our judgments of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the place where we see men and women as they are, and yet there is no cynicism in our hearts, nothing bitter or biting on our tongues.

Many of the cruel things in life spring from our illusions. We aren't true to the facts of one another, only our ideas of one another. People are either completely delightful or completely terrible, depending on our idea of them. The refusal to have our illusions taken away is the cause of much of the suffering in human life. If we love another person and we don't love God, we demand every perfection from that person, then become cruel and vindictive when we don't get it. We are demanding from a human being what no human being can give.

Our Lord's confidence in God and in what God's grace could do was so perfect that he never despaired of anyone. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone. There is only one being who can satisfy the deepest aching abyss of the human heart, and that is our Lord Jesus Christ.”

What an essential Truth Matter this is. Allowing ourselves to be disappointed with others often becomes “the cause of much of the suffering in human life.” The point is...we don't have to “suffer” because we can focus on God's purposes in lives of others...God knows how to transform His children. Here are our marching orders: “...with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

My prayer for you and me this day is this: Lord, deliver us from allowing our disappointments in others cloud our confidence in You and do not allow our disappointments keep us from loving our disappointers as You have loved us. Amen.

Walk with the King today and be a blessing.