“When we feel overwhelmed with disappointment it often reveals something that has become too important.”

A thought by Kyle Idleman (2011-05-24) from his book, Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus (p. 62). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Kyle gives an illustration that really emphasizes this point.

Let’s say you are taking your son fishing. He is going to be with you and he is so excited. But as the day goes by the fish aren’t biting and you slowly grow frustrated and disappointed. As you are going home you are quiet and clearly upset. Now what that shows is that catching fish not spending time with your son is clearly more important to you. That is clearly a wrong priority.

Now to the son, just being with his dad is exciting no matter how many fish he or his dad catches. His only disappointment possibly would be in realizing what was important to his dad, catching fish, not being with him.

What do your disappointments show is clearly a priority to you? Is it a misplaced or a correct priority? Now this is a great way to search out and refocus or reinforce your priorities and the beginning of a new year is a great time to do that.

It will take some time of contemplation, evaluation and questioning. Some of this can be alone and some of this can be done with someone who really knows you. Some of it can be with a disappointment comes. Just ask yourself, why you are disappointed? What does is say is the priority behind it? Is it a good one to be reinforced or is it one that needs to be scrapped, reworked? Is it relational oriented or selfish motivated? Does it show you to be outward or inward motivate? Not a lot of questions but just enough to see if it is a right disappointment, a right priority.

You see it is all based on your growing to be the positive person that you have the potential to become, the one that God created you to be.

So who do you really want to be?

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