When Expectations Meet Reality

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,â€� declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:8-10

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about life and how it doesn’t always seem to go the way I expect it to go. I remember a friend had said to me one day, “often when expectations meet reality there is disappointment.” I thought that was a rather pessimistic view but I think I have a greater understanding of what that can mean. I’ve had many dreams, ideas and plans in my mind for years and I was certain I knew how they would all play out…I had great “expectations” you could say…ones I had made up in my own mind. But over the last two years I’ve realized how wrong my “expectations” were but how amazingly better God’s ways are than my own. Yes- amazingly better!

It’s interesting to me that I was certain life would look much different, especially these last several years. And honestly, last year I felt rather discouraged and almost defeated because things were not going the way I had planned them to go. It was disheartening and I had almost lost hope {which was the very thing God had kept reminding me about – ALWAYS HOLD ON TO HOPE!}.

But God’s timing is always impeccable. When I felt all was lost and hopeless it seems He dove into my situation in the most radical ways possible. {Even as I write this my eyes are filled with tears as I meditate on His faithfulness and goodness!} I can truly say I felt the whole “hope deferred makes the heart sick” side of things…it was hard & painful!…BUT now I can say I understand the second part of that verse, “but a longing fulfilled is a tree of LIFE” {Proverbs 13:12}. YES it IS!

I’ve been reflecting on the reality of His ways not being our ways {Isaiah 55:8} and how it truly is all about trusting HIS lead in every area of life {Proverbs 3:5,6}. I was also thinking about how thousands of people, even those who knew the Scriptures and prophesies about the Messiah, did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. They had read and studied the Word to be sure they’d know when He arrived; yet they were blinded by their own perspective of what the Scripture was really saying. They were so blind they missed what they had been longing for all along- the Messiah- Jesus! They had filtered Scriptures through their own lenses and had come to their own conclusions- so convinced of their own way. But how wrong those lenses were. They missed the very Man they had been waiting for. How very sad.

How often has this happened in my own life? I have a little piece of a dream and then create my ideal path to get to such a destination without considering His ways. Or I read the Word and allow my own perception and filters to create my own idea of what it must mean…missing the Truth behind those sacred Words.

Now, am I saying it’s wrong to make plans and set goals for our lives? Absolutely not. But what I am saying is to allow the filter for those dreams and plans to be made through His Word and His lead. Simply keep your eyes on Him because in reality, it’s all about Him anyway! {“Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33}

Over the last 10 or so months I’ve had to surrender my “ideals” and my ways to the Lord, once again. Life certainly had not gone the way I thought it would BUT once I surrendered to His ways, I’m telling you- life has been SO SO SOOOOOO good. Easy? No. But so much better. {I even met & have now married the man I had been praying for my whole life!}.

Life done God’s way is so much better.

May we never be those who miss what God is doing right in front of us because we are so caught up in our own perception of how life should go. May we be those wholly surrendered to His ways so that our life mission continues to be one of deep, whole-hearted commitment to His Kingdom.

And may we always be those sharing the Truth of the Gospel with everyone around us in whatever ways possible.