Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Expectations...



    Let’s talk about “Expectations”.  Since I’m not right there with you I’m going to pretend you said, “Ok Meg, I’d love to!”  
    I heard once that “Expectations are offenses waiting to happen”.  I remember thinking at the time how profound that was and so I logged it away.  I have considered the saying often when I’ve found myself putting my expectations on others; essentially making other people responsible for something I have, more or less, made up in my head.  Expectations often go un-verbalized as well.  Ugh, I have no idea why we do this.  We set people and ourselves up for a no-win situation, don’t we?
     Now that we’re all thinking back on the last several awkward conflicts with friends and/or loved ones, let’s take it a step further…     What happens when we put our expectations on God?  We have the nerve to be offended, upset, or even angry… right?  He didn’t perform as expected, or give us what we wanted and prayed for.  As if we knew better or something?  Ouch.  
    It makes me think of Job.  Job chapter 38 and following to be exact… 
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm.  He said: ‘Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me.  Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?  Tell me, if you understand.’” Job 38:1-4
      I think we forget, in the midst of enjoying God as our friend and that He has our back and all that happy fluffy stuff,…. that our GOD, the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… is Holier than we can possibly comprehend, more powerful than we can imagine, and perfectly sovereign over all.  Who are we to question, even for a second, the plans or thoughts of Him who created us?  Who are we to think we have His omniscient plan figured out?
    I’m saying this to myself mostly.  I have recently put my expectations on God and tried to make Him responsible for filling them.  I didn’t realize I was doing it… it kind of crept in.  Regardless, He is the only One who has the right to be offended in this situation.  I was convicted of it the second the question was finally answered… “When do we travel?” 
   Yep, we have a travel date! YAY!  And do you think I was happy when I very first read the date?  No, I am ashamed to say, I wasn’t.  Immediately I cried out of disappointment and frustration.  Our court date is Dec. 4th.  We will travel by Nov. 25th ; 2 months and 2 days from today.  …I robbed myself of my own initial joy because I put my expectations on God’s plan! This was His plan the whole time, I was the one who kept wanting something sooner.  Yet I have the nerve to be upset when “sooner” didn’t happen.  I DO NOT know better than the Omniscient One!  UGH!  Learn from my mistake please!  Log this away for yourself… consider it often as you find yourself beginning to do the same.
    I’m good with the date now; now that the Holy Spirit and I had a little one on One time.  Still a bit disappointed that it’s 2 months away, but the disappointment is from wanting to hold our Little-Bit so much, not from disappointment in God.
 BUT... This means everything can happen now!  WOO HOO!!  We can book our flight & lodging, we can start making and freezing meals for when we’re gone, we get to PACK!, clean carpets, make doctors appts., etc.  It’s REALLY happening! 
I can finally let the breath out that I didn’t realize I’d been holding until now…


Praise God for His faithfulness and mercy!
We’ll see you SOON John-Patrik!

All for Him,
Meg (and Rich)

1 comment: