Sermons on Disappointments:

The Resurrection Story Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 15, 2023

When Jesus was crucified, the message was relayed all across the land that the Messiah was dead. But later, on the third day, the fog would lift. What looked like a crushing defeat was nothing more than the set-up for an incredible victory of sin, death, and hell.

The year was 1815. There were no satellites or telephones or even telegrams yet. There were no radios to communicate news. Nobody could send a text message or post a message on Facebook or YouTube. Still, the ENTIRE country of England knew that General Wellington was facing Napoleon in a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-7, John 1:29-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Live With Hope

Contributed by Noel Schreuder on Oct 20, 2022

Many times we hope that God will change our circumstances, will calm the storms of life, and when it doesn't happen as we hoped, we easily become despondent and even pessimistic.

LIVE WITH HOPE “Hope. What is hope?” asks Jo Black (an Afrikaans singer from South Africa) in his popular Afrikaans song with the same name. This song became an overnight success and reached the number one spot almost as soon as it was released. Why? Because it is something we need so much in this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:17-23, Psalm 13:1-2, Acts 27:20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Smelling Salts - Ecclesiastes 6:10-7:14 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Mar 21, 2025

The deepest joy comes from living in reality, not the stupor of trivia. So God gives us smelling salts to wake us up.

How do you enjoy life when things go wrong in this bent, twisted, crooked world? This passage teaches us a half dozen crucial principles on how to maintain our joy even in the face of hardship, disappointment, and even death. Ecclesiastes 6:10 Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is ...read more

How To Enjoy God Through His Creation - Psalm 8:1-2 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Apr 8, 2025

This sermon explains how to use not only the most amazing things in the creation to increase your delight in God, but also the disappointing things—even disappointing people to increase your joy in God by seeing how your disappointment in them draws lines that point to God’s majesty.

Psalm 8: For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:1-2

Be A Mighty Warrior Series

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 20, 2015

To be a mighty warrior for God, Gideon needs to overcome his disappointment with God and his doubts in God.

Judges 6:1-24, 33-40 Israel did evil in the sight of God, again. They worshipped the false gods of the Amorites (6:10) and were greatly oppressed by their enemies. • The Midianites, the Amalekites and other Eastern nations came against Israel in big numbers, like swarms of ...read more

Scripture: Judges 6:1-24, Judges 6:33-40

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Touched By God When I Didn't Expect It

Contributed by David Elvery on Nov 14, 2004

Considering God’s blessing on Zechariah amidst his disappointment.

Luke 1:5-25 – Touched by God when I didn’t expect it A man named Jacob had hit a low point in his life. He had thought about killing himself but he was too poor and too tired to secure the means to do it. He found a park bench and just lay down to die. He did not eat, because there was nothing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Baptist

Is God Fair?

Contributed by Jim Kane on Aug 31, 2004

– Life is not fair. God is. – Philip Yancey (Disappointment With God)

I like the comment that I recently read which said, “If you tell a man that there are 568,678,934,341 stars in the universe, he’ll believe you. But if a sign says, “Fresh Paint,” he has to make a personal investigation.” Certain things in life create questions that move us to “personal ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:1-10

Denomination: Church Of God

I Never Thought It Would Be Like This!"

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

What do you do when life disappoints you?

"I never thought it would be like this!" What do you do when life disappoints you Romans 12:1-2 Have you ever played Bible Trivia? I've played it twice--the first and the last time. My father and I, both pastors, were on a team against my sister and my mother. Our team took a real drumming. I'm ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Faith It Out 'til You Figure It Out!

Contributed by Daniel Harman on Mar 28, 2008

Holding on to your faith in God in the face of Disappointments, Discouragement & Difficulties

Title (reaffirm / remind congregation through out) : FAITH IT OUT ’TIL YOU FIGURE IT OUT! Theme: Holding on to your faith in God in the face of Disappointments, Discouragement & Difficulties (adversities) We all get times of difficulties, discouragement & disappointments – maybe you have ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Trying Of Your Faith

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 9, 2006

How to respond to hardships and disappointments and actually benefit from the process.

The Trying of Your Faith 1 Peter 1:1-9[1] 8-07-05 Intro During our teaching from the book of Judges[2] we talked a lot about trouble that comes as a consequence of sin. The recurring cycle in that book involved God sending trouble to correct Israel’s disobedience –the chastening of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-9

Denomination: Charismatic

Lesson 6: How Failure Leads To Faith

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Aug 30, 2011

Our response to failure and disappointment will determine our success in life.

A. INTRODUCTION: OUR RESPONSE TO FAILURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT WILL DETERMINE OUR SUCCESS IN LIFE: EXODUS 4:29-31 1. Moses gathered the elders to present his credentials. a. Aaron faithfully delivered God’s message. “And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses” ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 4:29-31

Denomination: Baptist

Can You Still Love And Worship God Through Disappointments? Series

Contributed by Alis Cerrahyan on Jun 28, 2019

Some of the saddest moments of our lives are when we're going through a serious challenge; or the loss of a job; or even the loss of a loved one. But the saddest of all is when God stops correcting us.

God calls children a blessing and a gift! Jesus actually tells us to be like children and to come to him full of faith and trust. Mark 10:15 reads, "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” The most important ingredients a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:15, Psalm 8:2, Matthew 18:2-6

Forgiving God Series

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Apr 25, 2001

How do we forgive God when we are hurt or disappointed?

What do we do when something bad happens to us, and there’s no one to forgive? What do we do when the only person we can hold responsible is God Himself? How can we forgive God? What does it mean to forgive God? Before we answer that question, let’s make clear what we mean by "forgiving" God. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:8-9

Denomination: Baptist

When Life Fails To Meet Expectations

Contributed by Fred Smith on Jul 14, 2007

How to keep our faith strong when life disappoints us.

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.—Habakkuk 2:1 WHEN LIFE FAILS TO MEET EXPECTATIONS Perhaps the hardest thing for a Christian to do is to stand on his faith in God when life is ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:1

Denomination: Baptist

The Election's Over - Now What?

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Nov 19, 2008

Message meant to address those who were disappointed in the results of the election.

The Election’s Over – Now What? Various Scriptures November 16, 2008 NOTE: THE ME/WE/GOD/YOU/WE FORMAT IS FROM ANDY STANLEY’S BOOK, "COMMUNICATING FOR A CHANGE." Me: The election was just under two weeks ago, and it wasn’t my intention to address it, other than to say that we need to continue to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:23-24

Denomination: Wesleyan