Just Wait…

I’ll be honest - I don’t handle disappointment very well. I like plans. I like timelines. And I like when things work out the way I pictured them.

But sometimes, life just doesn’t cooperate. The door you thought would open stays closed. The prayer you’ve been whispering for months still feels unanswered. And you start to wonder, “Did I miss something? Did I do something wrong? Or is God just not listening?”

I’ve been in that place - the middle of the “not yet,” where faith feels hard and the future feels foggy. But slowly, God’s been teaching me that disappointment isn’t the end of the story. Sometimes, it’s the beginning of something better - something I can’t see yet.

When God’s Plans Don’t Match Yours

It’s comforting and frustrating all at once: God’s plans are different from ours. And they’re always better - even if they don’t look that way right now.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

This verse doesn’t promise that everything will happen on my timeline. It promises that everything will happen on God’s - and that His plans will ultimately lead to hope. I have to remind myself that just because I can’t see the next step doesn’t mean He’s not guiding my path.

Finding Joy in the Unknown

Joy is tricky when you’re disappointed. When something doesn’t go the way you hoped, joy doesn’t just show up naturally - you have to choose it. But that’s the thing: biblical joy isn’t about how we feel; it’s about who we trust.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” ~ Habakkuk 3:17–18

That verse hits me every time. Even when nothing was going right, Habakkuk said, “Yet I will rejoice.” That kind of joy isn’t denial - it’s dependence. It’s saying, “God, even if I don’t understand what You’re doing, I still trust You.”

Peace That Doesn’t Make Sense

There’s a peace that comes when we finally stop trying to control everything. (Easier said than done, right?) When I finally hand my worries over to God - really hand them over - I find that He gives me something back: peace.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6–7

That “peace that transcends understanding” isn’t just poetic - it’s real. It’s that unexplainable calm when everything around you feels uncertain, but somehow your heart knows God’s still in control.

Hope Still Lives Here

Disappointment can make you feel like your story is over. But it’s not. God doesn’t waste pain. Every delay, every “no,” every closed door - He’s weaving them into something beautiful.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” ~ Romans 8:28

Even in disappointment, God’s goodness is still there. Hope isn’t about everything turning out perfectly - it’s about believing that God’s still at work when we can’t see how.

Choosing Joy Anyway

If you’re in a season of disappointment, I just want to say: you’re not alone. It’s okay to grieve the thing that didn’t happen. But don’t stay stuck there - let God meet you in the middle of it.

Because joy doesn’t come from a plan that works out. It comes from knowing the One who holds the plan.

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” ~ Nehemiah 8:10

So even in the waiting, even in the unknown - choose joy. God’s not done yet. And maybe, just maybe, what feels like a setback today is really a setup for something greater tomorrow.