If there is anything I have learned from my short time in ministry, it’s that you can’t expect God to work in a specific way and then be upset that He didn’t “show up”.
In the bible it says that we as humans may not even understand His plans- “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5).” You can’t determine how God is going to do things because, quite simply, that would make you God. He knows what is best for His Kingdom and how things will work out and our job is to trust that what He promises is truth.
Instead I chose to cling to His promises in the bible: they will never change, are universal, and are infallible. Here’s what I’m talking about:
1) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 19
2) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:7
3) Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” –John 4:13-14
There are literally hundreds of promises in the bible; some that apply directly to every reader and some specific to the character in the bible, but all able to shine light on the character of God. I choose to place my faith in His promises rather than what I think is best. He knows all the people I will meet on the race deeper than they know themselves and He knows exactly what they need at the deepest level. I can’t wait to see how the Lord is going to use me to lead others to Him to get those needs fulfilled.
In other words I have no expectations, but rather I wait expectantly. I know that He is going to show up in some amazing ways and do some incredible things- things that I may not even see or understand during my lifetime. I don’t want to limit Him in any way, especially by boxing Him in with my wimpy expectations. He is bigger, more powerful, more holy, more dangerous and beautiful than I or anyone could ever imagine! With a character like that, how could I not be excited to see what He does?
