Expectations are first cousins to planning and hope. We think we know what tomorrow will hold, all the while expecting that we will have a tomorrow. We might even let our dreams magnify that tomorrow, embellishing our own plans with what we hope will happen, who we hope we can be, where we hope we can go.
Sometimes our expectations are met. But not always. In that event, there is always a lesson to learn and we must adjust for next time.
That happened last week with my blog. Its failure to post was disappointing to me and I requested an adjustment. The adjustment from my hosting company took time – on hold for hours – case number escalated. So of course, God, in the Holy Spirit, knew all about this and gave me patience. I started working on this blog on another screen.
And that’s what happened when I arrived at my home in Florida. Like children, houses should not be left alone for too long. Nor cars. Nor plants. I should have expected it. My son always reminds me; when traveling, plan for the worst and hope for the best.
When our long-awaited Savior came into the world … it was a BABY??? We thought He would be a warrior leading a powerful army. It took time, and even then, only a few accepted Jesus, the teen, as Jesus, the new and forever King. He was not what they expected. Publicly ridiculed, they laughed. Nathaneal said, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? John 1:46
Nazareth, Jesus’ boyhood home, was looked down upon, even by the people of Galilee. So Jesus had to overcome other people’s expectations. He could see there was a better way to treat people, a better way to be a leader, but would they listen to him?
A few did. He chose good leadership for his ‘cabinet’ – the twelve apostles. And again, he chose the least likely, the least expected, but the ones Jesus expected would do the most good for all.
I grieve with Jesus when He sees the mess His world is in now. How in the world can things go on like this? We ask “where is God? What is He doing about this?”
He can see this storm approaching. He sees the way we are living and the consequences we will face. And then, when we least expect Him, He will act. His timing is not ours. Do not limit your expectations of what God can do, when, and how. We already know why.
Our focus has been on our hopes and dreams – our expectations. But what does Jesus expect from us?
He has the answer: Repent first, change your ways, and this is how … do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him.
Are we fair in our dealings with others? Do we have mercy on their dire circumstances and offer them kindness, and understanding? Do we exhibit humility, the kind that Jesus had? Do we find the time to walk with Him and learn from Him?
So the next time your expectations are not met, dig in. Were you open-minded? Were your expectations reasonable and optimistic? Could you see the good in what did happen?
This is our Father’s World. He never expected it to be anything but beautiful, offering love and promise to all.