Dealing with disappointment

What do you do when you're disappointed?
When things didn't turn out the way you'd planned?
We learned Wednesday that Zach didn't make it into the music school he auditioned for in February.
He didn't say much, but I was brokenhearted for him.
He told me that he didn't want my pity.
I said I didn't pity him and I told him about some of my own disappointments and how I believe God used them.
When I was a high school junior, I needed my English teacher's recommendation to get into a journalism class because of my low algebra grade.
She wouldn't give it to me. She said the journalism class was meant only for the top students.
I was really disappointed, but I had fun my junior year and took other classes. When I became a senior, I didn't need her recommendation. I simply could take the class.
I got an "A."
When I entered college, I thought I was going to become an artist, but my teacher told me that I was only an average artist.
I earned a double major of art and journalism and became a reporter.
I hardly ever won an award during my early days as a journalist and I remember the year that my editor submitted an intern's story for a contest over mine. She didn't submit any of my stories that year.
Years later, I have first and second place award certificates, most of which are stored in a plastic tub in the basement.
I hoped my son understood my "never give up" message. I told him something that a sixth-grade science teacher told our class: "Quitters never win and winners never quit."
It may sound like a cliche, but I think it's true.
Now as Christians, we know Christ's story of the persistent widow. We know the verse that says "knock and the door shall be opened unto you." We know the story of the woman who wanted Jesus to heal her daughter and said that even the dogs under the table get the children's crumbs.
That woman was persistent, too.
And maybe that's the way to deal with disappointment.
We just can't give up. We must continue, leaning hard on God for support, comfort, strength and peace.
We must cling to his promises: "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord of hosts, plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
So I continue to cling, loving and trusting our faithful God.

Blessings,

Tammy