Expectations
After reading on this subject in "living in...The Active Word", I felt compelled to write about it on this blog. The issue of Expectations so touched me as I continually put expectations onto God and others in my life and have been hurt, disappointed and even angry. I see the great need to change this within myself and I know that with the strength of Christ I am more than able. I hope that you enjoy the article and if you need to, start to address the expecations in your own life.
How true. Our greatest disappointments in life are typicaly attached to our greatest expectations. There's a spiritual parallel to this principle: the more expectations we place upon God, the more disappointed or offended we become when He doesn't deliver as expected.
Are you looking at God through a box of expectations? God has plans for you beyond what you can envision today. His work in your life is a lot bigger than you expect or comprehend. Are you willing to hold your dream loosely so that God can mold it and expand it to match His dreams for you?
When I box God in with my own ideas, I limit His work in me and through me. I can see only a small glimpse of what God wants to do, and because I cling so tightly to that little picture, I can't see the larger plan that God is working out. I thank God that He continues to open my eyes to see the truth: I can trust Him even if I don't understand everything at the time.
God works all things together for good. ...Disappointment is not the time to give up, it’s the time to hold on and wait to see the good that God has in store.
Laying down your expectations and walking with God one step at a time takes faith and trust. It takes faith to believe that His promises are true and that in the end, all of the unexpected and unexplained details of your life will work together for good in the end results that God has planned. It takes trust that is strong enough to obey God’s voice even when you cannot see His hand at work, knowing that He is guiding your steps and that as your Good Shepherd, He will not lead you astray. After all, He wants you to reach your final destination! He is determined to lead you in the right way, if you will only follow Him step by step.
“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:11). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
May God grant you the faith to reach out in trust and experience the completion of His work in your life!
When I box God in with my own ideas, I limit His work in me and through me. I can see only a small glimpse of what God wants to do, and because I cling so tightly to that little picture, I can't see the larger plan that God is working out. I thank God that He continues to open my eyes to see the truth: I can trust Him even if I don't understand everything at the time.
God works all things together for good. ...Disappointment is not the time to give up, it’s the time to hold on and wait to see the good that God has in store.
Laying down your expectations and walking with God one step at a time takes faith and trust. It takes faith to believe that His promises are true and that in the end, all of the unexpected and unexplained details of your life will work together for good in the end results that God has planned. It takes trust that is strong enough to obey God’s voice even when you cannot see His hand at work, knowing that He is guiding your steps and that as your Good Shepherd, He will not lead you astray. After all, He wants you to reach your final destination! He is determined to lead you in the right way, if you will only follow Him step by step.
“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:11). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
May God grant you the faith to reach out in trust and experience the completion of His work in your life!
*from "living in...The Active Word"
+adapted from an article by an ATI student, March 2005
+adapted from an article by an ATI student, March 2005
Today's Music: Seek Ye First.
posted by Chris @ 10:42 AM
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