We all experience from time to time disappointments, and these disappointments must be released. Those who are closest to us may be the ones who let us down or disappoint us. Recently, I realized that my expectations of others have contributed greatly to the disappointments that I feel.

I have also realized that my own expectations are my greatest hindrances to releasing something or someone who has disappointed me. Many times my expectations come from a heavenly perspective, but I am expecting an earthly vessel to carry out. I therefore have my own idea of how that person will act, what they will say and how they will respond.

I realized I have pictures in my mind of how a relationship should work and I continually refer to the picture and get more and more disappointed. It is like having a Thomas Kinkade painting in your mind. It is a beautiful picture of a lovely flower garden, with a tiny cottage sitting beside the garden. There is a path that leads you through the garden to the porch of the cottage. There is a glow in the window signifying love, laughter and warm welcoming people on the inside of the cottage.

I had this picture in my mind but when I look behind the picture all I found was a wall and a nail that the picture was hanging on. The lovely garden and the quaint cottage was real but the warmth was not inside, the people in real life did not act as I had hoped, and my expectations set me up for a huge disappointment.

The Lord showed me that the picture must be released and the person released that did not fulfill their part. It was actually unfair to expect them to perfectly fit into this picture. Even if it is a heavenly inspired picture as Thomas Kinkade paintings are the person in the picture still has a choice. And no matter how much we pray unless they have the picture as well it will not happen. All my hopes, prayers and expectations will only end in disappointment.

I also realized how many pictures I have that the other people didn’t have. They could not be who I wanted them to be or do what I wanted them to do. All my efforts were in vain and even manipulating to a degree because I was projecting an image out of my own needs and desires.

The Lord spoke to my heart to release the earthly and I would receive the heavenly. As I read John 3:31 in the amplified it reads, “He who comes from above is far above all others; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and talks the language of the earth [his words are from an earthly standpoint]. He who comes from heaven is [far] above all others…”

The only way to receive the heavenly is to release the earthly. To reach out your hand and let go of those people in your life that have let you down and disappointed you. Do you may have a beautiful picture in your mind? Take a look, have you placed people even family members in this picture and expected them to act accordingly? If so they must be released and let go. Release them from all your expectations. I have found when I release and trust in God to work in their life then I am no longer disappointed I am truly thankful. When I release all my expectations and just trust in Him, He will fill my heart with joy and peace. As I trust Him more and more I can see that He is working all things for my good. Then the pictures in my mind begin to change into His picture. He places a picture there and then He gives me faith to believe that in time He will fulfill the desire the He placed there.