EXPECTATION VS. REALITY
Disappointment with Others | Part 3
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
January 18, 2026

Sooner or later, people will disappoint us. Our spouse. Our friends. Our church. Even the people we love most—and the people who love us—will fall short. The question isn’t if disappointment will happen, but what we will do with it when it does. This Sunday we’ll talk about unrealistic expectations in our closest relationships, the power of our inner self-talk, and how discontent can either poison love—or mature it. If you’ve been wounded by someone close, weary from conflict, or tempted to give up on relationships altogether, join us in person or online as we discover a better way forward.

Discussion Questions

1. Where are you most tempted to confuse “disappointment with people” with “disappointment with God”? What helps you remember the difference—especially when the hurt is fresh?

2. “Nobody can live up to all your expectations all the time—and nobody is meant to.” What expectations have you been placing on someone (spouse, friend, church, leader) that might be too heavy or unrealistic?

3. Contentment vs. entitlement: Paul learned to be “satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed” (Phil. 4:11–13). What does “contentment in Christ” look like in your current relationships—and what would change if Christ was your primary source of joy?

4. The message described how blame and resentment grow: obsession → keeping score → replay mode → pride-blindness. Which stage are you most prone to, and what is one practical way you can interrupt that spiral this week?

5. Explanatory style: “always/never,” universalizing, and assuming God is against you can multiply misery. What are your most common “scripts” when you’re disappointed (about others, yourself, or God)? How could you replace one script with something truer?

6. Jesus met John’s disappointment by welcoming questions, affirming the person, and redirecting expectations to truth. Which of those do you need most from God right now—and which one can you offer someone else who is hurting?