Expectations!

Before the Shaping Her Expectations SHE event last October, I was chatting with a friend about our topic for the event. Her response when she heard it was expectations was, “Wow, expectations are the driving force of the world.” I reflected back on that recently and realized how true that was. Expectations often have deep emotions tied to them and when those expectations are not met, we become sad or depressed. Do you remember having expectations as a kid about what you would find under the tree on Christmas morning?? Then the morning came and you did not get what you wanted. You only focused on what you did not get, yet pushed aside what you did get.  Your focus went from celebrating the joy of Christmas and Christ’s birth to having a pity party for yourself.

In her beautiful book, Silver Packages, Cynthia Rylant tells the story of a young boy who lived in a poor Appalachian town. Every year, a train would come and give presents to the children. The protagonist of the story was a young boy who dreamed of receiving a doctor kit year after year, yet that dream was never fulfilled by the Christmas train. He usually received socks, hats,  mittens, or some other toy. He would walk away filled with disappointment every year. When he grew up, he became a doctor and ended up going back to the town her grew up in to practice medicine. He finally had a real doctor kit. As he watched children reach out for gifts his first year back, he realized that without the socks and mittens he received as a child, he would not have made it through the harsh winter conditions.  He saw how each gift was perfect including the toys. He ended up giving them to his siblings to play with and he saw happiness fill their souls. His desires ended up causing him to pursue his dream, but his immediate needs were met as a child, and that was what he really needed. He did not know it as a child, but as an adul,t he can see it. Remember children are wonderful recorders, but horrible interpreters.

When our expectations are not met, we need to ask Father what gift He was trying to give us. I think about the scripture in James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Many times our definition of “good” is very different from the way Father defines “good.”

Go back and take a look at expectations and answer these questions (some of you may have done this at the SHE event in October.)

·       How would you define expectations?

·       Who do you place expectations on?

·       What do you expect of yourself?

·       Who do you feel places expectations on you?

·       How do all these expectations make you feel??

Take time to reflect on this. Share it with a friend.  Talk to Father about it. Pray about it. Think about whether or not you need to release yourself or others of expectations. If you have high and lofty expectations on yourself, chances are that you place those same expectations on others.

I want to leave you with a few expectations God has for us.

·       Be still and know that I am God.  (Psalm 46 :10) Sometimes we need to just sit back and realize that.  He has a purpose to accomplish in a way that seems unbelievable to us at times. Remember “For your thoughts are not my thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.” Isaiah 55:10

·       Trust in Him and His word. Trust means to have confidence in or rely upon. Twila Paris wrote a song called “Do I Trust You Lord” and it really paints the picture of what we go through sometimes when our expectations are shattered!

Lyrics to “Do I Trust You Lord?”

Sometimes my little heart can't understand

What's in Your will, what's in Your plan.

So many times I'm tempted to ask You why,

But I can never forget it for long.

Lord, what You do could not be wrong.

So I believe You, even when I must cry.

Do I trust You, Lord?

Does the river flow?

Do I trust You, Lord?

Does the north wind blow?

You can see my heart,

You can read my mind,

And You got to know

That I would rather die

Than to lose my faith

In the One I love.

Do I trust You, Lord?

Do I trust You?

I know the answers, I've given them all.

But suddenly now, I feel so small.

Shaken down to the cavity in my soul.

I know the doctrine and theology,

But right now they don't mean much to me.

This time there's only one thing I've got to know.

Do I trust You, Lord?

Does the robin sing?

Do I trust You, Lord?

Does it rain in spring?

You can see my heart,

You can read my mind,

And You got to know

That I would rather die

Than to lose my faith

In the One I love.

Do I trust You, Lord?

Do I trust You?

I will trust You, Lord, when I don't know why.

I will trust You, Lord, till the day I die.

I will trust You, Lord, when I'm blind with pain!

You were God before, and You'll never change.

I will trust You.

I will trust You.

I will trust You, Lord.

I will trust You.




Rest in Him. Read Matthew 11:28-30. Remember His burden is light!


Let go…are there expectations you need to just let go of ??

May He free you up my sister as He reveals truth to you this day!

Love,

Suzanne