Expectation

Has anybody ever asked you, "Well, what did you expect?" 

Sometimes, our greatest disappointments have come because we expected something that was simply not realistic. We all know that irrational expectations can cause untold disappointment to those who dream beyond their means or abilities.

We live with the expectation that someone else will make us happy, but that is irrational. Nobody can make you happy. That is your job. If you expect others to make you happy or keep you happy, you know you will be disappointed again and again. People will fail you as you fail them. It happens!

Some Christians have the expectation that life will be, for the most part, relatively easy and problem free after they accept Jesus. This, too, is irrational, because bad things can happen and giving can be difficult. The Bible says that, "It rains on the just and the unjust." If you expect things to be easy just because you're a Christian, if I expect not to have problems, if I expect to avoid pain and heartache, I know I will be in for serious disappointment.   

Problems are here to stay!

I don't mean to paint a picture of life as bleak and miserable because it isn't. In fact, I think it is amazingly wonderful, and all the more wonderful when I don't expect everything to be perfect because I'm a Christian. I expect problems, but I also expect to find joy in the Lord. I do not expect others to always please me, but I do expect to be responsible for my own well-being in Christ Jesus.

So what do you expect? I think if you can answer that question well, you can expect to be much happier.