Often times a lot of the source of our stress, our strife, our worries and disappointments stem from unmet expectations. Conflict in relationships can even find its root in expectation. I find this to be true in relationships of all nature and in a variety of circumstances. I have my own expectations of myself and others expectations of me that try as I may, I fail to meet.
I love planning parties whether it be baby showers or birthday parties or any social event. This was a medium of a creative outlet for me. I work in healthcare which is a serious business which does not allow me to use my creative passions to much. So planning events and decorating would allow me to put ideas into action. I remember several occasions in putting everything together I would get frustrated because this or that detail did not work out just right. Things had to be just so and when they were not they did not meet my expectation. I would feel disappointment. I would feel a sense of failure.
So one year I am working on my daughter's themed birthday party at home. I was rushing trying to finish all the details before the guests arrived. I found myself frustrated and panicked because some detail , which funny enough I don't even recall now, was not working out right. I was stressed and disappointed. Then it happened. You know those crazy "aha" moments that hit you in the head. I realized, ' Wait a minute! I am stressing out over this one detail and I am the only one who knows what I envisioned in my mind for this event. No one else knows that this thing in my mind did not come to fruition. Why am I so stressed?' Guess what? I did not have a good answer. You know what else happened? People came to the party. They had fun. They liked the decorations. The kids all had fun. They enjoyed the food and no one ever said, " you know this party would have been so much better if only you had done....."
Life lesson learned.
In life we plan and we build up expectations of the ideal job, marriage, home, vacation, and holiday events. We even build up expectations with all of the relationships in our life. We fail to be flexible. We fail to factor in that life happens and things happen. We fail to give grace for people's human nature. Then when it does not play out as we imagined we find ourselves disappointed. This disappointment is a joy thief and we are robbed of the actual event, opportunity or relationship that is right there before us.
It is okay to have goals and standards and things to strive for so that we are motivated. However, when it is all done we must lay our expectations down.
In fact if you look back to when Jesus came, the reason many did not accept him as Messiah is that he did not fit into their expectation of what the Messiah was going to look like. They were expecting a Messiah that would come and overthrow the Roman Empire and reestablish the throne of David over Israel. They expected a revolutionary warrior King that would defeat Rome. They were not expecting a humble man, from Nazareth of all places. Have you read this guy's lineage and he is messiah?
Those who listened with open hearts to Jesus would come to realize that he did not meet the expectations they had of Messiah, but he exceeded them. He was a revolutionary alright. He came and upset the norms. He turned the tables over. He offered his teaching to all. He healed many. He broke social mores if it meant reaching a lost soul. He rescued the weak, the poor, the sick, the sinful and welcomed them to sit and eat with him. He even dined with a traitor. He was not quite what they expected. You see Jesus did not defeat Rome. No he did something greater. Jesus defeated sin and death.
From this I have learned that when I lay down my own expectations at the feet of Jesus and surrender them to him, He will not meet, but exceed my expectations so that I have a life more abundantly that I could ever dream.
So as we wait for the Lord to move in whatever may be your situation....let us lay down our expectations and seek the Lord. I promise you will not be disappointed and it will be better than you could have ever expected.
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