Expectations

This could be a pretty short blog. The beginning line should say: Expectations: Don't have any. The End

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him." Psalm 62:5

So many times we have expectations of people that are often unmet or unrealistic. When these expectations don't work out the way we think they ought, we walk away disappointed, broken, and lost. The only expectations we should have are those from God. He is the only one who can provide us with everything we need (he knows what those needs are even when we don't have a clue). He is the only one who knows us completely. He is the only one who never disappoints. God knows what's best for each and every one of us. Man cannot do that. With the best of intentions, man will disappoint. If we walk into situations with no expectations, then there is no reason to feel disappointed or go through the pain. If we put our all into God, he will make it alright anyway!

He makes it alright because as he tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end." He already has a blueprint for us all. He has it all mapped out and it is that of PEACE not EVIL! How many people on this Earth do you know that could make a promise like that? Probably not one.

I remember being a child and every year my parents would promise me that I was having a birthday party at the skating rink. My hopes would be up every single year, but the birthday party never came. I had that same expectation year after year after year, and every year I had to relive the disappointment of it not happening. Most children don't have discerning spirits. They automatically trust adults because that's all they know. Children are innocent. We as adults have to make sure that we don't scar our children by setting expectations and not fulfilling them. This tears away at their innocence and leaves a sense of distrust.

As an adult, I would have expectations for my husband giving me a gift that I had thrown hints about all year for my birthday. Well one year I told him that he really should listen to the things that I say and he could pick up on what I may like or not like. Well, I made the comment one day that I needed a cd case for over my car visor. Needless to say, my birthday rolled around and I had been anticipating a really great gift, and when he pulled up at my job I was about to explode with excitement. He came in and he handed me a bag which I tore open. It was a CD CASE! He was really excited and I looked in amazement as if to say, "You can't be serious!" He went on to explain that he heard me say that I needed a cd case for my car and he was really trying to listen to me. Even after he left I shook that thing just hoping some money would fall out. We still laugh about that gift. Well, I probably do more laughing because he was really sincere. The point is even in his most sincerest moment, my expectations were way above where he was. Had I had no expectations, then the gift would have been openly accepted just as it was given.

We live and we learn. Open your heart and mind to God and he will always meet every expectation, and will teach you how to live a peaceful life.


"Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Proverbs 30:5