If you have ever spoken to an alumnus World Racer, AIM staff, or anybody that has ever been affiliated with the World Race, you have probably heard the term, “drop your expectations.” That is something that I wish I could have truly grasped at the beginning of this trip. It’s something that I’m still learning how to do, but in many ways already understand it.
I came on the World Race after meeting dozens of Alumni World Racers and having conversations with them. For the most part these were the radical go-getter’s who ended there race longing to continue to pursue God with their life not just for 11 months. So, I had a HUGE expectation of my squad when I entered into this trip. I expected everyone to have their crap together…to love like Jesus…honestly to be a better version of me, or at least who I thought I was.
Coming on the race I realized something that devastated me. My squad isn’t perfect. To be honest it appeared to me like most of the people who signed up for this trip just did it to give a year of their lives to the Lord, or to see the world on a Christian trip, or even to see what it looks like to love the lost and needy. None of these things are bad, but I had an unrealistic expectation that my squad was going to be like all of the other alumni I had met. The out of their mind radicals; the go-getters who would drop their life at a moments notice to love somebody or obey Jesus. I had this expectation because of what I had experienced in the past and I thought that I was in a place where I could do the same.
Once on the race and living life I realized that most of the expectations I had for it were wrong and way off. My squad didn’t look like the alumni racers I had met. I didn’t look like that. The truth is that the expectations I had placed on myself, everyone around me, and even the Race itself were so far out of the ball park that it was unrecognizable compared to what I had envisioned. I expected it to be like Disney World for Christians, but in all reality it was like normal life in a different country. Yeah sure, there were moments when I was looking at my life going, “Is this for real?” but they were few and far apart. The truth is the World Race is life and in life you get what you put into it.
Your not going to come on the World Race and just be instantly radically changed for the Lord. It’s a process- no better yet, it’s a RELATIONSHIP! No one is going to meet the love of their life and after one day turn into this awesome husband/wife who is deeply in love with their spouse. Relationships take time and that is what the World Race can be about. Yes, you get to love the nations and see 11 countries in 11 months and that’s cool! But you’re not going to be transformed just by showing up and doing life. Don’t have that expectation! It will hurt you and more than likely make you bitter towards others around you who don’t meet your quota.
One of the BIGGEST things I have learned on my race is that I can’t put any type of expectation on anyone besides myself. It’s unfair to me and to them. Not only that it is so far from what Jesus has called us to be…who we’re created to be. In the moment our desires or expectations may seem so big, but if we step back and look at them with a big picture mindset it is like comparing an ant to all of creation. I’m not saying that all of our desires or expectations are bad or should be unnoticed, rather I’m saying that we can’t expect people around us to take care of the ant that is consuming our world when there is the Universe that we’ve been called to take care of. That’s what dropping your expectations truly means…to see past your own self desires and see what you can do for the bigger picture that serves everyone. It’s being okay with not getting your way. It’s being squeezed and letting Jesus come out instead of all that bad, squishy, nasty gunk that we call pride.
There it is. That’s all I can say. Don’t just drop your expectations, but live with the bigger picture mindset and chase after Jesus in His plan for your life. Don’t let life pass you by and miss out on the radical awesomeness that Jesus has for you because you’ve let your desires get in the way of Him. From much experience I can tell you that it’s not worth it, but it is worth laying down it all for Him…for putting yourself out on the line. If you want to be radically transformed DO IT! Live it out in relationship with Him and those around you. You don’t need a trip like the World Race to do it, you just need to do it.
