MESSAGE NOTES, 5/11/25

The reality is—we all have stuff.  Stuff we carry quietly, things we are working out with others, and challenges we wish would just go away. Death, disease, depression, disappointment, dependence,  and even demons—these are the real struggles that weigh us down. But we don’t have to face them alone. In this series, we’ll explore each of these challenging topics and see how Jesus meets us with His peace and power to get through. 

This week, our focus is on facing disappointment.

CONNECT

  1. What’s a small, silly disappointment you have come to terms with —like your favorite snack being discontinued, or an unrealistic childhood dream that didn’t pan out, or a favorite show ending, or the car you loved no longer being around? What helped you get over that disappointment? Why does it not matter now?

REFLECT

  1. Read Hannah’s story 1 Samuel 1:1-28. What is so challenging about her situation? What emotions does it bring forth in you? What did Hannah do well? Where do you see God’s grace? What other thoughts come to mind?

  2. What is your deep disappointment?
    Reflect on the areas in your life—whether relationships, career, health, or personal inadequacies—where you’ve experienced ongoing sadness or unfulfilled longing. How does this compare to Hannah’s heartache about unfulfilled dreams? How have external influences or “rivals” exacerbated your disappointment?

  3. Within your disappointment, God had an invitation for you. This invitation is to engage in His presence and then receive something from Him. Look back at Hannah’s story prior to the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1-18). How did she lean into the invitation and what did she receive?

  4. Hannah’s journey can be detailed in the following way. Where are you on your journey of disappointment?

Longing → Weeping → Prayers of Lament → God’s Grace → Prayers of Praise

  1. Where are you with lamenting? What stops you from bringing your raw pain before God?  How can you begin to offer your disappointment as a prayer of lament to God—honestly, vulnerably, and with open hands? Are you open to His intended will being greater than your disappointment?

  2. In what ways do you see God’s invitation to transform your disappointment? Reflect on how God’s grace has met you in a previous time of need—offering His peace, power, perspective, people and even new plans. What might God be wanting you to receive from Him in your current disappointment?

PRAYER

Write a prayer of lament, or pray for yourself or others – note the prayer on the back page.

God, I am disappointed with  ________.  I am feeling so ___________.

But, I know that ________.   Help me to ________.

 

Sustain Me in the Coming Then

O God, empty me of angry judgments,

and aching disappointments,

and anxious trying,

and breathe into me

something like quietness

and confidence,

 

that the lion and the lamb in me

may lie down together

and be led by a trust

as straightforward as a little child.

 

Catch my pride and doubt off guard

that, at least for the moment,

I may sense your presence

and your caring,

and be surprised

by a sudden joy

arising in me now

 

to sustain me in the coming then.

Ted Loder Guerrillas of Grace

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