At some time or another, each of us might struggle with an unfulfilled dream, an empty nest, wayward children, or life just seeming to pass by.

We put on happy faces and pretend we have it all together. But inside, we may feel one or more of “The Five Big D’s” – Discouragement, Disappointment, Deception, Doubt, and Depression.

I don’t know about you, but I believe there’s a God, and there are forces that can keep us from going through God’s open doors. My strength against The Five Big D’s comes from Bible verses like the ones in these examples:

Discouragement:

• Why am I sick again?
• I can’t do anything right.
• Why do I bother working so hard with little return?

Isaiah 41:10 says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Deception:

• The grass would be greener if I’d married what’s-his-name.
• It would be nice not to have all these responsibilities.
• Life would be better if I were a size four.

God never deceives us; these feelings come from a darker place. But we might ask ourselves – is God really first in my life? Matthew 6:33 says, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all ‘these’ things will be given to you.”

Pursuing righteousness (not self-righteousness) is part of biblical faith. The word “these” refers to verses about shelter, clothes and food. Are we thankful for these simple things, which some people in the world don’t have?

Disappointment:

• I’m such a failure …how do others see me?
• My friends have let me down.
• My life is one problem after another.

God forgives us, and asks that we forgive others – and ourselves! Forgiveness helps us look toward the future rather than dwell in the past.

“The Lord’s compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

Doubt:

• How can God love me?
• Am I a good enough spouse or parent?
• I got that promotion; what if I fail now?

Jesus said, “if we have faith and do not doubt,” we can ask mountains of concern to throw themselves into the sea (Matthew 21:21).

Through prayer, our mountains can become molehills. But do we pray in faith? James 1:6 says when we pray, “[we] must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

When God knocks on the door of our hearts and we answer, we’ll have a faith that doubt can never overcome.

Occasional Depression:

• It’s hopeless. Things won’t ever be okay.
• I’m not motivated to do anything.
• Can I crawl back in bed and stay there?

God doesn’t promise life will be a rose garden and we’ll never feel down; only that we can trust Him through all situations. Certainly, if depression goes beyond such occasional thoughts, we should seek help. Otherwise, we can hold on to our hope and faith.

“…We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Romans 5:3-5).

Perhaps not in our timing, but in His, we’ll conquer The Five Big D’s that hinder our joy and contentment.

© 2011, Sheryl Young

All Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, the previous New International Version®. (Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society). Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.)

Sheryl Young is a Jewish believer in Jesus, having accepted Him as her Lord and Savior in 1987.

She’s been a freelance writer and columnist since 1997 for magazines, newspapers and websites. Her latest book is a pocket-size devotional, “God, Am I Nobody? Yielding Our Desires for Success to God’s Will for Our Lives” (Treble Heart Books, 2011 http://www.trebleheartbooks.com/MVSherylYoung.html). See Sheryl’s blog and more book info at http://20-20faithsight.blogspot.com.

I messed up. Ugh!

“So, sorry,” I said to the producer.

The inspirational videos we filmed this past Saturday needed to be done just right because of its potential outreach. And when I fumbled on a word during the shooting, I cringed. No doubt, we had to “take it from the top” again.

But then the producer gave a quiet chuckle. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I can take the best of all recordings and edit to create the one that will sound just fine.”

I grinned with relief.

She was taking God’s approach. When observing our life, He takes the bad, the good, the messed up, the lousy, and the great and, molded in His hands, He creates a life that is, indeed, fine.

So amigos, why do we fret when disappointments disrupt our days? No doubt, it’s part of the shooting in the film of life.

For example, when disappointments leave us discouraged and dizzy with confusion. And an invitation to a pity party slips under the door of our heart—time to take action.

Here are five steps to ditch those dreaded feelings that come with every disappointment:

1. Someone said disappointments are God’s appointments. Clever but true. When we’re let down, God is up—up to something. Often, something bigger, better and more wonderful.

2. Disappointments always bring friends of negativity, self-condemnation. (If only I should have’s and also insecurities. But using Jesus’ broom, we can sweep them all out with one swoop of His truth.)

3. When disappointment strikes, time to fight back. The best weapon: gratitude. Think back to ways God had brought results that exceeded our expectations. Gratitude cancels a destructive attitude.

4. Disappointment is a test. An exam to see how strong is our faith. Better put—where do we place our faith—in circumstances or in the King of the universe?

5. Be confident because when God is filming in the studio of His love, He’s taking all the flaws, glitches, mistakes, disappointments and editing them to show us that in the end, a life that is just fine.

He is the divine producer, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

Father, thank you for the workmanship you have prepared. Thank you for your design that is bigger than the setbacks of life, greater than the disappointments we experience, more profound than the times we mess up. Show us, Lord, to see beyond the glitches of life to gaze at the larger plan for our life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

• What is the biggest disappointment you have faced lately?

• How can you see beyond it?

Although blind, Janet Perez Eckles has been inspiring thousands to see the best in life. Her journey from trials to triumph appear in more than 28 anthologies, and in her own releases including #1 bestselling, Simply Salsa: Dancing without Fear at God’s Fiesta, Judson Press, 2011. http://www.janetperezeckles.com/.