just a thought . . .

I've been thinking a lot lately about expectations.  Last week we talked about discouragement, and I've discovered in life that there is one sure way to bring discouragement to our life . . . to base our thoughts, and decision making, on our expectations.  Expectations are good, but we trek on risky ground when we make decisions based on our expectations. Often our expectations are full of self . . . looking out for what we want and not what God wants.  It takes faith for a person to look candidly at their expectations and say, "God, what are You up to  . . . what are You trying to teach me?"  

Here's the twist, if you are walking through life based on your expectations, I challenge you to begin asking to God to remove your Expectations and exchange it for an attitude of Expecting . . . we'll call it 'Expecting God.' When we do this it takes all the weight off of us and places it on Him which is what He tells us to do, "Cast all your care on me . . ." Expecting God means we are walking in faith that He is faithful regardless of what circumstances or situations tell us.  Expecting God causes us to come to Him with joy and peace because we realize we can't make things happen, it's all up to God. Expecting God helps us to hear God's Word and say Holy Spirit work Your Word in my life.  Expecting God brings hope to hopeless situations.  When we walk through life with our pre-conceived expectations, discouragement, frustration, disillusionment and disappointment set in . . . we make bad decisions based on selfish motives and keep God from showing us His power. When we walk through life Expecting then we can't wait to see what happens next, we realize our insufficiency and we witness God in all His grandeur.

Today, are you walking through life with expectations that never seem to be met -  or are you walking through life expecting God to do what you can never do, expecting Him to move in the most hopeless situations, expecting Him to be where He doesn't appear to be? Who thought God would be in a bush, yet He set it on fire and things were never the same. Elizabeth Barrett Browning says, "Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God. But only those who sees takes of his shoes, the rest just sit around and pick blueberries." I want to see God at work in the lives of people and it rarely looks like my expectations. God is calling you to a life of 'Expecting God' to work incredibly in our lives, in our church - what stops Him most of the time is when He doesn't meet our expectations.  Exchange your expectations for Expecting God and see what a difference it makes.  I'll follow up tomorrow with a cool story about letting go of our expectations and Expecting God to do awesome things.  Keep watching . . . until then:

- Make the exchange - let go of your expectations and exchange it for a faith of Expecting God.

- What are your expectations? Are they being met?

-Wouldn't it be nice to know that God doesn't always work through our expectations, we just need to Expect God!

Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all. - Helen Keller