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
Love For His People. Inc.
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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, and on our newest website: Now Think On This
