The dictionary definition of disappointment is "to fail to meet the expectation or hope of a good." If you are expecting something good and it doesn't happen, the temptation to enter into disappointment is there. The devil is just waiting to lightly push it over onto you. Don't take it!

Most Christians are smart enough to fight off the major things. When depression tries to come on me, I know that's bad and that it is not God. I kick that demon of depression in the teeth. I will not allow it to come around me. I will not allow myself to get depressed.

But what about disappointment? A disappointment seems like such a little thing. I might get a little disappointed at something I expected someone to do, or over a report I get about some family in the church. Or, when I go out to start the car and find the battery dead, it's just a little disappointing. But all these little disappointments, if they aren't dealt with right on the spot, add up.

If you let all the disappointments pile up, little by little by little, the next thing you know you will get discouraged. Little disappointments will lead to discouragement and discouragement can lead to a broken heart.

We find much teaching in Spirit-filled circles about healing of the body. We find much teaching about salvation. Of course we need salvation and healing, but we cannot ignore the broken heart. Christians don't have to live their lives saved and healed, but hurting from a broken heart.

Jesus came to heal the broken heart. Look at the word healing in this scripture. In Luke 4:18 Jesus said, "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted." The word healing that Jesus used here can also mean restoration. Some Greek scholars amplify this to mean to give back that which was stolen; to restore to a former condition of well being. Also restore means to mend or to furnish completely or to fix and complete. In other words, Jesus came to fix, to mend, to complete the thing that has been broken. Shalom. Jesus came to mend the broken heart completely.

The world teaches that if you have a problem, you will always have that problem. You can modify your behavior so that you won't drink. You can modify your behavior so you won't take drugs. You can modify your behavior so you won't have crying spells.

Jesus came to heal all that. Jesus does not cover it up, but He heals it. Jesus did not come to modify your behavior. He came to heal you completely so that you will be just as healed as someone who has never had the problem. You do not have to live with disappointments and discouragements or a broken heart. We must deal with all disappointments quickly or they will develop into discouragement and a broken heart.

But the good news is this - Jesus can restore and fix your broken heart. He can make it "shalom."

Devotion 0110