Disappointed in life

Home Faith Prayer Hub Help with prayer Disappointed in life

Disappointment

Sometimes, it is hard not to despair at our failures.

And most of us have expectations or hopes for our lives that haven’t matched reality.

Photo: A deflated yellow with a balloon on it lies on the road next to cars

Jesus’s actions and words lead us to appreciate that we are not valued for our achievements, but for who we truly are.

God invites us to share everything about our life, both the big and the small. Tell God about what’s disappointing you today. You can say it aloud, write it in your journal, draw a picture to represent it, or simply think about it. How would you like God to respond?

Here's a simple prayer, say it with me

Things aren’t working out like I expected, God. In my mind, I thought it would be different.

Help me to find peace with my disappointments.

Help me to re-orient my vision, and be open to the possibilities before me. Amen.

Take time out

Take five minutes to listen to this immersive Bible meditation, where Jesus tells a parable about how God values us. We may not feel it, but even in the unimaginably dark places, God is with us.

Tell God how you feel right now.

What has disappointed you? Do you feel valued or left behind? Do you feel God’s presence or absence? Ask God to increase your awareness of the Holy Spirit upon and within you.

A title "God at work" and an image of two hands reaching for each other, one from above. A prayer prompt based on Ephesians 3:20-21. How have you noticed God at work within you today? What might Go accomplish in and through you today?

Click here to explore more creative prayer cards.

Listen to this song, and imagine the singer is speaking these words to God on your behalf.

My Lord, What a morning, is a ‘spiritual’ – a song that arose among African-Americans trapped in slavery. Such work songs not only aided hard labour (creating a rhythm to work to) but also offered encouragement, inspired by a message of God’s saving grace. Find out more.

Here it is sung by Marian Anderson, an internationally renowned singer and icon in the civil rights movement.