Expectations

But I am trusting you, O Lord,

saying, “You are my God!”

My future is in your hands.

Psalm 31:14-15 (NLT)

When Len and I got married, we had certain expectations regarding our life together. Now we look back, it’s interesting to notice how much our expectations have varied from our present reality. God has reshaped our dreams, mingling joy with heartache, happy moments with difficult moments, gain with loss, and mortared them together with His love, mercy, and grace.

Expectations can be dangerous if they aren’t fulfilled; we can wind up disillusioned or broken-hearted. When disappointment festers and chafes at the mind and heart, it can eventually turn into grief or even anger at God; because we’ve unwittingly placed expectations on God Himself. We expect blessings, not burdens. We expect comfort, not complications. We expect happiness, not hard times.

Until we release those expectations, we will continue to experience disappointment. Jesus never promised a trouble-free life. But He did promise He would be our helper, our comforter, our advocate before the throne of God.

This thought from Jill Weber sums it up beautifully: “What might happen if I release my expectations (my attachment to a particular outcome) and re-orient my heart so that God’s glory becomes my end goal and destination, regardless of outcome?” Jill Weber, Even the Sparrow

Our God is faithful and fully worthy of our trust. When He reshapes our dreams, He transforms our stick-figure dreams into a beautiful work of art.