Have you ever watched an old 1980’s T.V. show called, Fantasy Island. Fantasy Island was about a resort hotel hosted by, Mr. Roarke and his side-kick, Tattoo. The host and his side-kick would greet the people and offer to fulfill literally any fantasy the guests requested; but it rarely turned out as expected. Life can be that way. Sometimes we live our lives wishing things had been or were a certain way. Sometimes the things we wish for are not necessarily going to happen the way we want them to, or in the time frame we want.
We have all faced disappointment in our lives: people letting us down, not having the job we always dreamt about, kids not turning out the way we wanted, or maybe not even having kids at all. The experience of disappointment can be a heavy weight on us for many reasons. We go about our day thinking we did something wrong or didn’t do enough. Maybe we feel like God has let us down and that He doesn’t care or isn’t even listening to us.
What I have noticed is that with the overflow of Social Media pictures, seems like our disappointments have magnified 100 times fold. We see our friends have relationships we wish we had, we see our friends’ awesome flourishing kids, or the beauty of a newborn and we get upset or sad that it’s not us. But have you ever stopped to think that maybe people only share what would appear to be above average? It’s like we have all become little magazines, editing our pictures to appear exceptional, taking 1k selfies until we get the right one, thinking about our captions so it sounds very “utopian.” But what about the 999 other selfies with double chins, pimples, and blemishes? What about the relationship that has problems no one knows about and posts a “couples” picture on the day they were getting along? What about the new mother who posts a serene picture of her sleeping baby in her arms but has been up all night with a crying baby wishing to throw it out the window (Wait, was that just me? YIKES!) I’ve also seen social media as a platform to defame people and a venting place. See, people will only share what they want. How do I know this? I’ve done it and I’m sure you have, to some extent.
We can’t allow ourselves to get caught up in a “Fantasy Island” lifestyle, trying to create the perfect world for ourselves, where we have what we want and no one or any situation will let us down, disappoint us. Nothing wrong with dreaming, that’s how we progress. But we must allow some realist perspective to squeeze in. A sure way to guarantee that we are where we are suppose to be and have what we are suppose to have is to keep a close relationship with God by seeking Him and reading his word. No other place than in the word of God, will we be told the honest truth in the most loving way, for our own good. It’s like a mirror that will show us the raw truth about who we are, how we think and how we should be. Turn to it in your disappointments. You will find peace of mind in where you are in life, what you have in life and who you are. You might even sleep a little better at night full of new confidence a lot of us lack. Please don’t take it the wrong way. We should celebrate life, what we do and accomplish with everyone. That’s what social media has enabled us to do. But remember, when comparing ourselves with others, disappointment might be what you find as we look at our lives next to others.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
One Life One Way 