“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” --Colossians 3:13
A great deal to do with people feeling disappointed by others is that our expectations are often too high for each other, along with forgetting how all of us are prone to disappoint one another, not that most of us intend to do so, but it happens in life.
It’s a healthy perspective to keep in mind, too, whether people intend to or not, they often let us down, and rather than being offended, hurt, angry, and unforgiving when they do, we can live with the mindset that we’ll be understanding and forgiving, because whether we mean to or not, we, too, disappoint others at times.
As well, it’s good to keep in mind that disappointing others doesn’t necessarily mean that we or others have sinned. As revealed in scripture, following God’s plan for our lives rather than disappointing the expectations others have for us happens, even in the life of Jesus, who lived His life perfectly, free from sin and completely obedient to His heavenly Father.
Living in obedience to God is to please Him, as Jesus explained in John 8:29, “The one who sent Me is with Me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.”
When Others Feel Let Down
Not that we plan to let others down, but meeting everyone’s expectations all the time is pretty much impossible and often falls short, so it’s bound to happen to us at times.
Through the years, many of us have felt the sting of family members, friends, co-workers, and maybe even a spouse who had different expectations for us than God did for our lives, leaving those who didn’t understand disappointed.
Consider Jesus, who was perfect, obeying His heavenly Father in all that He did, yet many of His followers may have felt disappointed because their expectations for His life on earth differed from God’s purpose for Him being here.
People’s Expectations for Jesus
Letting others down began early in Jesus' life. Although not much is recorded in scripture concerning His childhood, as a child, His parents felt disappointed when, rather than coming along with their group home from the temple in Jerusalem, He stayed longer, listening and asking questions to the teachers, rather than heading back to His home in Nazareth, as Luke 2:46 describes, “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”
But even as a child, Jesus knew why God had sent Him, and He did not let others' expectations keep Him from living out His purpose on earth. As Luke 2:49 records, when asked why He didn’t follow home along with His mother and father, He said, “’ Why were you searching for Me?’ He asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my father’s house?’”
Then, as Jesus began His ministry on earth, those who followed Him formed various expectations for Him based both on prophecy and what they were witnessing Him do.
As they saw His power over sickness, diseases, and death, many of Jesus’ followers expected Him to become their earthly king.
Yet, it wasn’t God’s plan at the time, as John 6:14-15 describes, “After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world. “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
In one of Jesus’ darkest moments on earth, at His arrest, people who had spent time with Him, following Him, deserted Him, even fleeing naked from the situation.
Mark 14:48-51 records the moment, as Jesus asked, “’ Am I leading a rebellion?’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture Me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’ Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.”
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father, strengthen us to live a life of obedience to You, and help us to follow Your will for our lives, even when others may have different expectations and feel disappointed in our decisions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/gremlin
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
Related Resource: Discouragement Often Comes after Calling | Ezra 3
In this episode of The Bible Explained, Jen walks through Ezra chapter 3 and explores the Israelites’ return from exile as they begin rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. She highlights how the people, though fearful and greatly outnumbered, chose unity, obedience, and worship by first rebuilding the altar and restoring sacrifices to God. The episode focuses on the emotional moment when the temple foundation is laid—some rejoice with gratitude while others weep, remembering the former temple’s glory. Through passages in Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, Jen emphasizes God’s encouragement not to “despise small beginnings,” reminding listeners that God often works through humble starts, difficult seasons, and imperfect circumstances. The episode closes with a practical encouragement: when God calls people to a purpose, opposition and discouragement will come, but faithful perseverance and trust in God’s presence are what carry the work forward. If this podcast helped you understand the Bible in a clearer way, be sure to follow The Bible Explained on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Friday, 17 April 2026.
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