Disappointed Expectations

It is wholesome to have high expectations of what God has done and what He is doing and will do. Is this faith in practise? We have high expectations of God because He is the greatest and is absolutely holy and good, so deep down we long to experience His glory in our life.

However, as we all know, God doesn’t always meet our expectations or things don’t happen when we want them to, or when we think is most convenient. However, God has His reasons that we know not of. Most of the time He is building character, Christlikeness and leading us to know Him in faith, not for just what we can get from Him.

As Christians we can have high expectations of one another and this is especially true because there is no higher calling or ethical standard than what is lived and taught in Jesus Christ. Men can have high expectations of there leaders. So high that they are not allowed to be human. Husbands can have high expectations of their wives and vice versa.

To live is to deal with the issue of expectations. However, perhaps they can unreasonable, distorted and hypocritical. As well they may not be seasoned with grace.

It is possible for a Christian to have some hostility towards God because God has not met their expectations. He has not come through when they wanted God to. They are angry with God and it has affected their relationship with God. They may hold it secretly in their heart for it is too awful to admit. How could they be angry with God, they ask themselves, when God is His immensity, humility and love made a way for mankind in the cross, because He bore our death penalty for our sin at immense cost to Himself?

Satan comes along and tries to speak lies into our heart. “If God loved you”, he says, “you wouldn’t have to endure this hardship. If God loved and cared for you, He would provide for you like he has for others. If God loved you, things would go your way and people would treat you better.” We could go on and on. Satan loves to plant false expectations and distortions of what it means to walk with Jesus and to be God’s servant in this world.

Judas must have had high human and different expectations of Jesus. He was with Him for 3 years. How can someone be with Jesus and not be changed? Judas wasn’t.

Was Judas like many of the disciples when they first were with Jesus expecting a political kingdom? Did He love Jesus put just wanted to help Jesus accomplish His purpose by political means? Was he trying to force His hand. What a extreme example is Judas of a person who had disappointed expectations of Jesus. He had taken the bait of Satan who in essence suggested to accomplish God’s purpose man’s way. This the way of man’s wisdom apart from God.

When Judas accomplished his purpose and sold-out Jesus, he was so overcome by guilt he committed suicide rather than turning to Jesus for redemption. There is grace for everyone at the foot of the cross. Come to Jesus in repentance and faith. No sin is too great. The only sin that will separate you for eternity in hell is not truly receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

We must let God be God. He knows all things, and can be trusted because He is absolutely good, holy, just and loving. The cross displays this in its full glory. God has a plan for your life and the sooner we get in full sync with Him, the happier and more fulfilled and the greatest impact we will make in this life and the life to come. As God’s word says, ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).

Lord delivers us from false and distorted expectations and trust you fully in our mind, heart and will. May we truly know You, as you truly are, not as we would expect you to be and to in our timing do what and when we expect it to happen.