Rachel Whisman

When expectations are not met, hopes are deferred, or patience wears thin, we tend to gravitate to doing the exact opposite and using absolutes to help cope with the situation. We might say to ourselves, “I will never ______,” or “I will stop hoping that ______ will ______.” We try to muster up the strength to be resilient. Our tenacious spirits want to thrive off of this determination, but it is misleading on its own. We do want to learn from our errors when our expectations are misplaced and grow in wisdom to then exercise it. However, is the motivation founded on a reliance upon Christ or from my prideful spirit? 

The enemy desires this. He doesn’t want us to be in the middle of the pendulum where it is steady and calm. He wants us to keep going and continue rocking back and forth as often as possible. To be highly legalistic or to swing to the other side, where there is not a care in the world. He will keep us busy doing whatever it takes to distract us from being still to reflect on any potential conviction and need for repentance. We can become more concerned about just “doing” the right thing than caring about the one we’ve wronged. When we idolize our hopes, dreams, and expectations, albeit good in nature, we can twist them to become something they are not only to achieve a dissatisfaction with the character of God and His care towards us. That is pride and not what God desires from us, but He says in Isaiah 66:2, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. Isaiah 66:2. He wants a heart that is remorseful over their actions and an acceptance of Christ’s completed work for us.

We might try to find security, comfort, and safety when we swing to the other side of the pendulum by lowering our expectations or hoping for something else, but does that really solve the problem? We think we are doing good and protecting ourselves by “guarding our hearts.” Yes, we do need to be defensive in our battle, but as we are, is it out of a motive of moralism, and with whose shield are we guarding our hearts with? Is it just another wall we’ve built up with our own expectations, or is it Christ’s shield? To protect our hearts, they must be submitted to Christ’s care, provision, and protection. We have nothing in ourselves, and we must go to him and not our stubbornness to bear the heartbreak, confusion, and weariness. We are incapable of nursing ourselves back to health.

Only in Christ, with a dependency upon Him and entrusting ourselves to Him, will we be renewed. He is the one with whom our expectations will be satisfied, our hopes fulfilled, and the endurance provided to be patient. We hand our hopes over to Him and are met with hands of mercy, grace, and power for Him to handle them in return.

For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Psalm 107:9