To Be Continued: Expect It

Expectations…

Sorry to say it, but expectations can be a big pitfall. Expecting others to do stuff for us generally doesn’t work out, namely because we’re selfish beings. For this post in my To Be Continued series, I’ll address what happens when we expect the worst, when we expect the best, and where our expectations should lie.

We’ve all expected things to happen, whether good or bad. We’ve also likely dealt with the feelings we get when life doesn’t meet those expectations. Here are two very different approaches to expectations…

1. Expect the Worst.

I am the opposite of a horror movie person. In my mind, there are few things worse than getting scared. One of which is knowing you’ll be scared. The expectation that something bad will happen is frightening. When I worked as a lifeguard, I had to participate in a yearly in-service. All the lifeguards would meet and the supervisors would plan various First Aid “situations” for us to deal with.

I can’t fully explain the feeling of knowing something bad is about to happen yet being helpless to avert it. Part of lifeguarding is looking out for danger, but it’s very different when you know the worst will happen. When we center our lives around what may happen or always focus on the worst-case scenario, we’re doing two things. First, we’re worrying about stuff that usually isn’t within our control. Second, we’re doubting God.

There’s nothing wrong with future-proofing your plans. There’s a problem with expecting the worst out of everything, like I did at my in-service. As comedian Tim Hawkins says, “That’s the worst.”

Don’t always expect the worst.

2. Expect the Best.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ll find people who expect the best out of everything and everyone. I hate to break it to you, but it says gullible on your ceiling. We live in a fallen world where most people don’t have great motives. Expecting the best from everyone leads to entitlement and disappointment. Actor Ryan Reynolds once said, “When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.”

We can only expect the best from God. So be careful you don’t fall into an I-deserve-the-best-of-everyone’s-time-and-effort mindset, or think everyone has your best interest at heart. Sadly, most don’t. Technically, we deserve nothing. But in His grace, God grants us mercy. That said – our expectations need to be rooted in Christ, not in people.

Don’t always expect the best.

Living with Hope.

If our expectations don’t stem from a worst-case mindset or a best-case mindset, where do they come from? If you look at the Bible, you’ll see that there is only one Person we can count on. And it ain’t Chuck Norris. It’s God. If you expect Him to ensure the sun rises tomorrow, you can expect Him to care for you. If you expect Him to keep the universe in motion, you can expect Him to have your best interests at heart.

As a Christian, I need not expect the worst. I know the world sucks sometimes, but that’s not where my hope comes from. I fully expect Jesus to return – I know it will happen. That fills me with incredible hope. Romans 15:13 (NIV) says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Rather than expecting the best or fearing the worst, live in the hope that Jesus cares for you.

Living with Dread.

I can’t imagine living with 24/7 dread, knowing that when I die something terrible will happen…yet having no control over it. As a non-Christian, you don’t know where you’ll end up. That has to be frightening, like in a horror movie when you know there’s gonna be a massive jump scare but you don’t know when.

Knowing this should give us greater urgency to spread Jesus’ message. Isaiah 57:20 (NIV) says, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” Those who don’t know Christ don’t know what to expect. We do. Should we not share that hope? By knowing Jesus, you need not fear the worst, and you don’t have to suffer from shattered expectations.

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) declares, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

What expectations?

Actor Jim Carrey said, “I always feel happy. You know why? Because I don’t
expect anything from anyone. Expectations always hurt.” Now I don’t want you going out and disregarding everyone else. Instead, remember that our meaning and joy come from the Lord and not from people. If we expect people to fill us, we’ll only be let down.

Life isn’t about having no expectations, it’s about having the right expectations. When you begin living with an “I get to” mindset over an “I deserve to” mindset, your life will radically shift. “Expect nothing; appreciate everything,” as I once heard someone say.

Here’s the deal: Expectations aren’t bad. Having the wrong mindset about expectations is. First off, don’t always expect the worst. God tells us to bring light into the world, not more darkness. Second, don’t always expect the best. God tells us that this isn’t reality in a sinful world. Third, expect that God and God alone offers the hope our world needs. Nothing on earth is truly certain, except that. And because of Christ, we need not live in fear.

For as Paul said in Philippians 1:20a (NLT)…

“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ.”