Is It Time to Raise Your Expectations?

I have had expectations on my mind for several weeks. I have made notes looked up definitions and searched for relevant Biblical points.

I believe that many of us live our lives with expectations far below what God has planned for us.

Due to failure, low self esteem, negative influence and any number of other reasons that may be personal to the individual, people tend to have low expectations.

The word expectation is defined several ways. Here are a few. “A looking forward to; anticipation, a thing looked forward to, a reason or warrant for looking forward to something; prospect for the future, as of advancement or prosperity.” Webster defines it similarly as; “The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen.”

The word expectation translated from the Hebrew in the OT means; “hope, thing that I long for.

David said it this way.

Psalms 62:5 KJV

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Message

God, the one and only— I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?

There are many reasons why expectations are so low in peoples hearts at times.

The economy could be bad so financial expectations are low. Job qualifications exceed your thinking so you expect little from the place you work.

Something that has become aware to me is how little sometimes we expect in our relationship with God and our place in His church.

I believe when our expectations are low that our commitment will be low as well.

In church sometimes we look at resources and determine whether something will work or not. We look at our own personal resources or qualifications and determine our value to the kingdom of God.

May I tell you today that you are looking in the wrong place. Our expectations will never materialize until we stop looking to ourselves and look to Him. David said; “everything I hope for comes from Him.”

When the resources are low we must have high expectations. Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem and started with nothing but a letter from the king. David killed a formidable enemy with a small smooth stone. Christ fed thousands with a few fish and some bread. Samson killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.

Gideon led an army of hundreds against an army without number. Elijah called on God and the drought ended from a cloud the size of a man’s hand.

On and on we can go through the Bible and find that what we see with our eyes and hold in our hands has little to do with what God can accomplish when our expectations begin in Him.

When we as a body, and as individuals, begin to expect more we will receive more.

When a church expects more from its members I believe it will receive more.

Living for Christ. Believing in Christ as your Saviour is more than a good feeling when you think about it. It is more than tip toeing through the tulips and little fat baby angels flying around your head as you walk down the street.

God has expectations as well.

Christ spoke metaphorically when He said if you put your hand to the plow and look back you are not fit for the kingdom of God.

Translate. Living for Christ is a life long commitment. You can’t follow Him and look over your shoulder, missing the life you once lived.

God has high expectations in us and for us. That is evident by the great price He paid for our redemption.

I believe when our expectations are high that opportunities will present themselves. I believe we will be empowered to do the things that God would have us do and live the life He expects us to live.

When we expect more from ourselves. When the church expects more of its members. Those who truly want to follow Christ will rise above their lack of resources and walk on water to come to Jesus.

You, me, us will find a way where there is no way to accomplish our destiny and walk in the will of God.

Hebrews 10:24 KJV

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Message

Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out.

Let us see how inventive we can be. Let’s find all the ways we can find to love and to encourage.

I hurt today for those who think they can accomplish little or that God cares little for them. There is nothing you can not be and nothing that God can not forgive in your life today.

When we remember that forgiveness of sin does not come from man. The ability to see your dreams come true does not come from a book or the well wishes of your friends.

Your destiny is not shaped by the naysayers who constantly tell you that you can’t.

Your hope, my hope, our hope is in the Lord. He will not let the enemy steal that which we hope for if we will place our expectations in Him.

Proverbs 24:14 Amplified

So shall you know skillful and godly Wisdom to be thus to your life; if you find it, then shall there be a future and a reward, and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.

Finding God secures the hopes that you have. Understanding and following His commandments is wisdom and qualifications. He provides the reward that comes from the hope that you have placed in Him.

There is nothing more rewarding than to know that God has designed a life of success for everyone of us. Now the truth is that we need to understand that success in the eyes of the world and success in God are often two different things.

There is only one foundational principle we must follow to get it.

Place all our hope in Him.

Proverbs 23:17-18 Message

Don’t for a minute envy careless rebels; soak yourself in the Fear-of-God—
That’s where your future lies. Then you won’t be left with an armload of nothing.

My hope and expectations are in God. Where are yours today. In yourself, or maybe in someone else. Don’t be left with an armload of nothing.

Tags: expectations, message bible, reward