Expectations – what are they? Are they something that we want to happen, are they how we want a certain person to act or are they the perfectionism that we put on ourselves and others. Two of the dictionary definitions are the act of looking forward and anticipating or the degree of probability that something will occur. Generally expectations are about a thing. That is very important because more often than not we define expectation as relating to a person and how they behave. Here is a story that focusses on the same circumstances but different expectations.
One night Jesus told His disciples that He wanted them to get in the boat and go to the other side. Jesus then went to sleep in the bottom of the boat and we will find out the reason soon. The disciples job, however, was to sail the boat across to the other side. However, all those plans flew out the window when a storm arose. It was so bad that the disciples were afraid and some of them were fisherman and had seen and sailed though and survived storms before.
The disciples then woke Jesus up and He rebuked the storm and the disciples and then they were at the other side of the lake.
This story can have a lot of meanings but the one I want to focus on is expectation. You see when Jesus spoke, He expected that when He woke up, the boat would be at the other side of the lake. That is why He went to sleep. In our lives, we can mirror this. Our expectation of the Word of God should be that when we speak it, it does not return to God void, but what we speak happens. Therefore, at night instead of worrying about your finances, health, unsaved family etc., you can lie down and just go to sleep knowing that the Word of God you spoke will come to pass in due season.
What about the disciples? Some of them were experienced fishermen but their expectation was not focussed on Jesus’ words of the other side, they were focussed on the journey. How often is that like us? We hear the Word of God being preached on finances and we believe it until a storm comes eg a bill that is bigger than what we expected, a health report that is so far worse that what we expected etc. When those things happen, don’t worry about the journey, focus on the expected outcome as stated by verses pertaining to your situation in the Bible.
But what if I can’t? Then run to God. A close family member of mine has been diagnosed with an incurable disease. My focus was on the journey, and still is to a point, but when God dropped the Word in my heart that he will live and not die and declare the glory of God, hope welled up within me and turned my expectation back to God.
Is there something insurmountable in your life, look at your expectation. If it isn’t on God, run to Him until it is. No matter what happens, He will never leave you nor forsake you and will walk through that valley with you. Be strong and courageous! You can do it! Keep living the life God intended for you in blessing and abundance!
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