Expectations
- Now Think On This
by Steve Martin
“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Col. 3:2-4 NASU
Expectations come and go, rise and fall, and can be fulfilled or left hanging as we press forward. We experience different levels of expectations during our lifetime, as we seek to know the will of our Father, Who knows all and desires to see us walk in His way. Along that way, each of us will be given the opportunity to learn to trust in Him, expecting His promises and purposes to come about as He has said. Often that trust and faith in Him is tested, even as disappointments and setbacks occur.
In times past I have been told that my expectations were too high, that I need not hope as much as I did. Most often it was because I was looking at people to bring about a certain fulfillment in my dreams, rather than the Lord Himself. There had been opportunities to experience something different and new, but when circumstances or the people I looked to did not bring about the expected result I was hoping for, I had to guard my heart from disappointment and press hard into the Father’s heart for an answer.
At times it was not easy. At times it seemed that I had gone as far as I would or could go, and really didn’t want to believe again for a better result. The temptation was to settle for things as they were, and be content with that. But we all know that that doesn’t bring fulfillment, does it?
After spending another time slowly re-reading the biblical story of Joseph and his expectations, and the resulting situations, I once again became encouraged to trust that the Lord does redeem our times and seasons. It is though in His time. Those pits and prisons are real. But also the release and triumph can be just as real. It becomes a matter of time for His plan to become reality for us.
As we hear or read of others who have gone before with their life stories, we realize that they too had to overcome the disappointments, the failures of oneself and others, the unfulfilled expectations that they had placed their hope in. They had to daily press on, to push forward, to contend for the prize set before them, in order to gain the higher ground. It was a battle, in an even great spiritual war.
In Isaiah 40:30-31 the Word says, “Young men may grow tired and weary, even the fittest may stumble and fall; but those who hope in Adonai will renew their strength, they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings; when they are running they won’t grow weary, when they are walking they won’t get tired.” Complete Jewish Bible
Whether young or old, we must keep our hope in Adonai, our Savior, in order to renew our strength. When anticipated expectations do not come about as we had hoped, once again we must stand on the foundation He has laid. Once again we must experience His renewal, His uplifting of our wings, as we run the race set before us. Though we will become weary and tired, He will not fail us in our journey.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
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Now Think On This #164 - “Expectations” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (11.11.14) Tuesday at 8:30 am in Charlotte, NC
All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog.
