Expectations
In the last two years I have never gotten sick when traveling overseas (with the exception of a few headaches from lack of sleep and stress). So of course I did not expect to get hit with the constant need to use the toilet or throw up everything I was eating. I have learned through this experience that I should always be prepares and sometimes that does mean spending a little extra money on the proper medication!
There are some things we just don't expect in life. We don't see the storms coming, the raise in rent, the loss of a loved one, the sudden news from the doctor, or the troubled heartache of a friend. We don't expect certain things to turn out certain ways. Still there are other things we set our hopes high on. We raise our expectation on the potential success of a relationship, or the possibility that our loyalty to the company will grant us the much needed raise.
"Expectation" has been a word on my mind for the last little while. As I have committed myself to learning and growing in the beautiful city of Hong Kong, my expectations sit under a new light. Of course I was not expecting to be so sick for the first day. I was expecting to tour the city and make new friends! However I chose to look at my sickly experience as an experience none the less.
Prior to my arrival I had spent the week speaking expectation in faith over my life. You may have heard this before: "expect big things from a big God". The phrase came at me from a whole new angle the last time I heard it. God is a God who does big things, but at the same time we should not be surprised by what He does because He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Why be surprised when He who created the universe is in control of your life and He shows up in ways that you can't imagine? I mean think about it - He created the waters that remain in their boundaries and don't escape. He has provided sustenance for His creation. The right soil in the right places for the right trees. The right climate for the creatures who inhabit the area. Everything is created to a certain rhyme and rhythm and to Godly perfection. The same God who controls the universe is in control of my life and is able to bring the same order and perfection to what I often call chaos.
If a God this big is in control than why should I not expect big things from Him? Why should I not ask for a clear and sound mind, for vision and creativity and for a transformation of heart? Why should I remain in a state that tells me I will never be able to accomplish the dreams that I have? If our God is able to build up the weak trees to poduce fruit, why am I, His prized posession, unable to do the same? We often limit what can be done because of our humanity. We see a limit to perfection, a limit to what can be done. Faith changes that. At least it should. Faith is hope in what is unseen. Faith is believing in what is said to be impossible. Faith in Christ is defying humanity and believing in His resurrection.
Can I encourage you, wherever you are, to expect for our God to do amazing things. Things you have never seen? Don't limit Him to your imagination, for He revels in going beyond that. Give Him room to move in ways that no man would ever expect. Let Him move in ways that YOU expect because of who you have believed in. Have faith when you kneel at you bedside to ask for healing like you've never known. Have faith when you are sitting at the local coffee shop and ask for vision for the next big move in your organization. Have faith to believe that you are able to do and experience more bcause you belong to Him and He has called you His own. Bottom line. Expect great things from a big God. It may not happen from one day to the next, and that is when we need to persevere. Don't give up, don't stop asking, and most importantly don't stop seeking. Search for His glory and as you do so you will begin to see your expectation in faith be accompanied.
There are some things we just don't expect in life. We don't see the storms coming, the raise in rent, the loss of a loved one, the sudden news from the doctor, or the troubled heartache of a friend. We don't expect certain things to turn out certain ways. Still there are other things we set our hopes high on. We raise our expectation on the potential success of a relationship, or the possibility that our loyalty to the company will grant us the much needed raise.
"Expectation" has been a word on my mind for the last little while. As I have committed myself to learning and growing in the beautiful city of Hong Kong, my expectations sit under a new light. Of course I was not expecting to be so sick for the first day. I was expecting to tour the city and make new friends! However I chose to look at my sickly experience as an experience none the less.
Prior to my arrival I had spent the week speaking expectation in faith over my life. You may have heard this before: "expect big things from a big God". The phrase came at me from a whole new angle the last time I heard it. God is a God who does big things, but at the same time we should not be surprised by what He does because He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Why be surprised when He who created the universe is in control of your life and He shows up in ways that you can't imagine? I mean think about it - He created the waters that remain in their boundaries and don't escape. He has provided sustenance for His creation. The right soil in the right places for the right trees. The right climate for the creatures who inhabit the area. Everything is created to a certain rhyme and rhythm and to Godly perfection. The same God who controls the universe is in control of my life and is able to bring the same order and perfection to what I often call chaos.If a God this big is in control than why should I not expect big things from Him? Why should I not ask for a clear and sound mind, for vision and creativity and for a transformation of heart? Why should I remain in a state that tells me I will never be able to accomplish the dreams that I have? If our God is able to build up the weak trees to poduce fruit, why am I, His prized posession, unable to do the same? We often limit what can be done because of our humanity. We see a limit to perfection, a limit to what can be done. Faith changes that. At least it should. Faith is hope in what is unseen. Faith is believing in what is said to be impossible. Faith in Christ is defying humanity and believing in His resurrection.
Can I encourage you, wherever you are, to expect for our God to do amazing things. Things you have never seen? Don't limit Him to your imagination, for He revels in going beyond that. Give Him room to move in ways that no man would ever expect. Let Him move in ways that YOU expect because of who you have believed in. Have faith when you kneel at you bedside to ask for healing like you've never known. Have faith when you are sitting at the local coffee shop and ask for vision for the next big move in your organization. Have faith to believe that you are able to do and experience more bcause you belong to Him and He has called you His own. Bottom line. Expect great things from a big God. It may not happen from one day to the next, and that is when we need to persevere. Don't give up, don't stop asking, and most importantly don't stop seeking. Search for His glory and as you do so you will begin to see your expectation in faith be accompanied.
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