I expected to get a nice chunk of change from one particular company because of the time that I had invested with them in the past. Come to find out, they could not sponsor me financially because they don't fund the efforts of one individual. What a bummer!!
I expected an immediate increase in intimacy and relationship with My Father (God) because He would be so proud of me for acting in faith and being obedient. But I haven't experienced that much either. It actually sometimes feels like the opposite. Like I'm in a wilderness left to fend for myself. I gotta admit, I didn't expect the wilderness.
Needless to say, now I understand why we are warned against having expectations. Its dangerous and sets us up to be discouraged and disappointed. I know, from my own personal experience now, that the enemy
uses your expectations to attack your faith and bring confusion. He's just waiting for an opportunity to trap you, and the snares that are formed in your thought life are the most dangerous ones because they are always with you. Having unmet expectations has even made me upset and not want to pray. Its made me want to take my losses at this point and forget about the mission, out of fear that my disappointments will only increase as I move forward. Its a very crummy place to be in … But I brought it all on myself.
The Lord had not made any promises to me that led to my expectations. They were all based on my idea of what was right and fair. But since when did it become ok to put our hope in ourselves and the abilities of others? So now I'm getting rid of all of my silly expectations. They do me no good. I now hold on to one, great expectation, and that is that My Lord Will Provide!! When and how no longer matters …
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
