Great Expectations

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”

Psalm 62:5

Yesterday morning, I got up and started my normal Thursday things. Except things weren’t so normal.

Still sore and banged up from my fall, I was moving extremely slow. Everything hurt! Maneuvers which I normally perform on a regular basis were done in a slightly altered fashion. When my puppy excitedly jumped on me to express her “good morning”, she pounced directly onto the huge bruise that now graces my thigh. Ouch!

It was pay day and when I grabbed my phone to pull up my bank app, it just sat there with that spinning icon. I couldn’t do what I needed to do without being able to access my bank account and transfer funds. This situation wasn’t corrected for quite sometime and I was a bit frustrated.

Finally, when I got out and about to do some errands, my first stop was at the Dollartree. I walked up to the door and grabbed the door only to find it locked. According to a lady standing next to the door, the manager hadn’t shown up so the store was closed. This was more than thirty minutes past the time it should have opened according to regular hours. I had to alter my plans.

My morning had started off with disappointment, frustration and altered plans — which kickstarted my thoughts about how much we take for granted and the expectations we just wake up with each day.

We turn the ignition expecting the car to start, we flip a switch expecting a light to illuminate a room. We dial a phone number expecting someone to answer. We expect our direct deposits to be readily accessible at the expected time. On and on I could go

Expectations.

I was speaking with a friend yesterday afternoon about how expectations can often lead to disappointment, frustration and a need to change plans. We expect everything to go smoothly and according to our plans. We get our hopes up and often have higher expectations than what actually plays out. It’s a normal thing to do, but when things backfire, we are always surprised and taken back. Why can’t things just go according to plan?!

We’re not the only ones who have to deal with unmet expectations. Think of all the times in the Bible where the people caused God to be frustrated and want to destroy them. How many times did He actually start over with new people? You see, He’s all-powerful yet still He gives each of us the power to choose. In other words, He knows we won’t always get it right and meet His expectations, but He hopes we’ll love and trust Him enough to obey Him, walk by faith and get back up again after we’ve fallen or failed.

Think about that the next time something doesn’t go “as planned” or expected. Yes, we’ll still be disappointed, but just know it’s normal and take a moment to feel frustration and disappointment, then continue on. Don’t be tempted to quit! Regroup and tell yourself to focus on the end goal or result. Alter the previous plan. Then keep on. Lets choose not to allow the unexpected stuff in life make our day, or life, lose its purpose.

If the car doesn’t start, there’s another way. If the light doesn’t come on, do something about it. If the phone isn’t answered, don’t give up hope. If, if, if…then let God be God, and us be teachable and patient. We’re always going to experience disappointment and we’ll definitely get frustrated, but let’s turn our back to that and continue on. Alter the course, ask God for clarity in every situation, and learn from that experience.

If we go through something, but learn from it - it’s been valuable.

That’s what life is all about and these are the things life is made of. It wasn’t meant to be this way in the beginning, and it won’t “always “ be, but for now know this…

Unmet expectations and disappointments happen to us all, even to our God who created and oversees it all. He never quits or gives up though, let’s be like Him. We might be let down and disappointed, even frustrated at times; but let’s NEVER lose hope in God and remember He holds us and our world in the palm of His hand. He might not answer exactly when we’d hoped, nor exactly as we had expected, but He always knows best and is sometimes saving us from things we cannot see. ThIs isn’t all there is! Don’t give up! In God, no matter what, we can ALWAYS have great expectations.

Be blessed today~