Christian Message Boards: Disappointmented with God

This is topic Disappointmented with God in forum Bible Topics & Study at Christian Message Boards.

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Posted by Hashe (Member # 11273) on :

There was an article on the huffington post that I recently read (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unhappy_b_3930620.html). It was about the difference in expectations between Gen Y’s and the Baby boomers. The article gave an equation of Happiness.
Happiness = Reality – Expectations.
One example of this is when we buy something. If we find something cheap that really does a great job, we feel like we have got a real bargain. If we spend a lot of money on something only to find out it is junk we feel disappointed and that someone has sold us a lie.
The article went on to say that Gen Y’s had huge expectations and their reality wasn’t meeting their expectations. This meant that many Gen Y’s were facing disappointment with life. In contrast the Baby Boomer’s had few expectations, having parents who lived through World Wars and The Great Depression and their reality exceeded their expectations. Therefore Baby Boomers were generally happier.
Another way of looking at this is disappointments occur when our reality doesn’t meet our expectations. People face disappointments with God when the reality of God in their life doesn’t meet their expectations.
One of my former leaders told me the story of how she came to faith in Jesus. She was at church and the preacher asked, ‘Do you want love, peace and joy?’ And she thought, ‘Well who doesn’t want that?’ So she responded to the alter call.
Her reality in following Jesus wasn’t just love, peace and joy and then she experienced disappointments with God. She had some questions to ask. Does my disappointment mean that Jesus isn’t real? Or was my expectation wrong? Was I sold a life? What does it really mean to follow Jesus?
Because my former leader had a real relationship with Jesus she was able to work through some of her disappointments. She turned to the Bible, particularly the gospels, and putting aside her preconceived ideas, read for herself who Jesus really is and what he taught.
In an earlier post I talked about how Jesus came to save us from our sins, not from our circumstances. When we are ‘sold’ a Jesus who saves us from our circumstances we are bound to experience disappointment.
With so many people reportedly leaving churches, it makes we wonder, what Jesus they were sold? And what Jesus do I sell to others?

Posted by Kindgo (Member # 2) on :

Hashe [Kiss]

Welcome to this board, it is nice to met you!

I think this is a great article..to many people believe the lie that God is an ATM in the sky.

Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :

I read this somewhere and it stayed with me.

We are in a boat on a dark sea. The sea is full of people who are perishing. Our job is to hold up the light of life (the gospel of Christ) so the people can see it and come be rescued.

To think that we just sail along in safety and comfort, self-indulged and uncaring of others, while all those people are drowning in the dark is kind of a horrible picture. So called Christians who live that way are not followers of Christ Who gave His life to save us.

We are on a rescue mission. It involves all different kinds of work, and the Lord has given each one of us a gift to use in service to others.

Posted by renewedfaith (Member # 11309) on :

Being a young Christian is like being a young person in love: you are so enraptured with love (no pun intended), that you overlook the pain and work that actually comes with a real relationship. All real relationships take time and effort. The same goes for our relationship with Jesus.

Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :

Amen renewedfaith, and welcome to the Christian BBS. Nice to meet you.

Posted by Hashe (Member # 11273) on :

Thank you for your comments. It is nice to be a part of this.