Please Don’t Pass the Pause
Let Curiosity Lead You from Disappointment to Discovery
How quickly disappointment can rise in us, sometimes over the most minor things. A text left unanswered. A promise someone didn’t keep. That tight feeling in your chest when you realize you were counting on someone or something that didn’t come through.
Have you felt that?
We don’t talk much about what to do with that kind of letdown, especially the kind that doesn’t make headlines but still gets under our skin. I’m learning that those moments are invitations, not interruptions. God doesn’t rush us through them. He invites us to pause.
So today, I want to share a short devotional reflection I wrote—one of those small but significant stories that pulled me into a deeper place with Jesus. I hope it finds you where you are.
Please Don’t Pass the Pause: Let Curiosity Lead You from Disappointment to Discovery
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
I clenched my phone as I waited for a reply. Surely, she'd kept her promise. Yet, I haven't heard from her all weekend.
Ding!
It wasn't the reply I expected. Instead of relief, I found myself engulfed in disappointment—again.
Why didn't she let me know she couldn't keep her promise? Didn't she understand how important this was?
The blinking cursor begged for my response. Reacting while irritated would only lead to trouble.
Pause.
Setting my phone face down on the dining table, I took a deep breath. What once felt like an impossible-to-obey nudge from God was developing into a rhythm of restoration—one I relished when emotions threatened to overwhelm me. Pausing allowed time to process without overreacting.
I needed to understand the root of my offense to halt the downpour of negativity ready to take up residence in my head. Only God's insight could put me on the straight path. Proverbs 3:5-6 says it this way: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Wrestling with negative thoughts and emotions is a daily battle. Have you ever wondered what to do when they threaten to steal your joy and peace? In these moments, why not practice taking a pause?
Pausing allows for prayerful curiosity, which invites God into the discovery process to help unearth the origins of the negativity.
Pausing allows time to reconsider negative thoughts and emotions in light of God's truth and reshape misconceived thinking.
Pausing gives occasion to praise God for His faithfulness, even during challenging circumstances, and shift perspective from dissatisfaction to gratitude.
Wondering about that blinking cursor?
Pausing opened the way for God, through His wisdom, to remold my complaints into a compassionate response toward the person on the other end of the phone.
Next time you're tempted to ruminate in the wrong direction, consider taking a pause instead. Let curiosity capture negative thoughts, uncover their roots, and transform them with the truth of God's promises.1
A Prayerful Pause to Reorient Your Heart
Lord, I’m raw and weary, overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings that won’t let go. I give them all to You and ask You to transform them with Your Truth. Soften my resitent heart with Your compassion, and show me a way back to peace so I might forgive others as You always forgive me. You promise wisdom to all who ask for it. Please help me understand the root of the disappointment dragging me down. Help me find rest in You and experience Your joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Have you experienced a moment like this recently, where pausing protected your peace or helped you respond differently? Or maybe you’re still in that waiting space, blinking cursor and all, unsure how to respond.
Hit reply or leave a comment below if this resonates. I’d love to hear what “pausing” looks like for you, or where you’ve seen God show up when you didn’t rush past the discomfort.
Together, we’re learning how to pause long enough to discover what God wants to say. I’m grateful to walk this path with you.
Previously published in Renew Your Mind: 40 Days to Quiet the Lies Inside Your Head, (Currently Out of Print)