Recently, a friend told me he had experienced so many disappointments in his life that he was just used to them now. 

I was really taken back by his comment at first, thinking about how we should never get used to disappointments. I mean, what a shame it must be to live our lives that way. But thinking about it made me realize how much I could relate to what he said. 

Life is full of disappointments. They can happen at any moment and oftentimes seem completely out of control. Like a rollercoaster, life can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. No one goes through life unscathed. 

But what if we could take those disappointing moments and use them to benefit our lives or the lives of other people instead of just accepting them as they are? Is there a way to alter the outcome by changing how we view those disappointments? Maybe a better question is how did Jesus manage the disappointments in His own life.

Even though Jesus was fully God, He was not immune to tragedies and pain because He was also completely human. 

The bigger picture

Look at His relationship with the disciples, especially Peter. Peter was a man who walked closely with Jesus and was a friend and confidant, but Peter still turned his back on Him. 

Do you think Jesus was disappointed with Peter? You bet! But notice that Jesus didn’t walk away from Peter — not even knowing ahead of time that he would deny Him. He continued to love and accept him anyway. 

Jesus looked at the bigger picture. He knew Peter needed salvation and knew He was the only one who could provide it. Jesus’ view of this disappointing moment benefited Peter in a great way that completely changed his life. 

When you come across the eventual disappointments in your own life, try to look at the bigger picture. It will be different every time, but the lesson is the same. Find the benefit, the hidden gem in the disappointment. Learn from it and then use what you’ve learned to walk alongside someone going through the same thing. Use your disappointments to be a blessing to someone else just as Jesus did.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Rom. 8:28).