I'm sure I'm not the only one who is side eyeing 2021 looking to see what big thing is going to happen this year that throws off our plans and our idea of how life should go.
The past few days I've talked about expectations a lot and how when they aren't met we grow disappointed and sometimes even cynical.
We all have expectations on how we think our lives should go and how our relationships should be. Often times for many of us, especially in 2020 our expectations have been let down. From travel plans being cancelled to not being able to spend the holidays with family as normal. At some point we've all experienced disappointment in 2020.
Unmet expectations and disappointments can grow any heart hard and distant if not careful. I know because I've been there. When we place our hopes in dreams in this world, it is inevitable that disappointment will come. The Bible says in John 16:33 that we will have trouble in this world. We will be disappointed and we will be let down. But, take heart, because Jesus has overcome the world.
Do you know what that means? That means that Jesus is our greatest expectation and greatest hope. In fact, He sets the standard for where we should place our expectation = in His dieing on the cross and resurrecting and not only that but also in His second coming!!
Disappointment and unmet longings and expectations are apart of life and can be used to help us keep our eyes fixed on eternity. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, this is not your home! There is a day coming that the Bible talks about in Revelation 21:4, it says "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. ... Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away." That is what we should fix our hope in expectations on.
It is perfectly fine and normal to have expectations in this world but if we focus so much on having our best life now we can easily forget how temporary this place is for all of us. Our best life is in Heaven, eternity with Jesus. That's the focus, that's the point of all of this = Jesus. To live for Him, bring Him glory, and make disciples.
We all have expectations and desires, a lot of them were God given and He indeed desires to bless His children on this side of life but nothing good or bad that we experience on this side will ever compare to what He has in store for us who believe in Jesus Christ.
That should be our greatest expectation, that should be our greatest hope ♡
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18