Surprised by Unmet Expectations
Reflecting on where you find yourself can be painful as you humbly acknowledge that you aren’t where you expected to be. Ten years ago when you had envisioned life today it was with great anticipation, hope and planning for a best case scenario future. Enter --- Life --- the unexpected, the brutal, the rude awakening that life would not fall neatly into your prearranged dreams. And you find yourself wondering what possibly caused this disruption to your endeavors.
What I recognized in 2020 is that expectations are the enemy of thankfulness and joy in so many ways. Expectations entrap us with obligations, robbing us of freedom to indulge and embrace present moments. We become a prisoner to cause – n – effect and then plummet if our actions aren’t rewarded with the desired outcome. Expectations become a yoke of slavery --- drawing us into a bondage that never satisfies. Life never rolls out the red carpet in an expected linear format. Rather life meanders through the mountain trails with surprising delights around each bend if we have eyes to see.
What if we planned, yet held our desired expectations and outcomes loosely --- actually expecting our well-laid plans to be shook up a bit. And what if we ceased allowing our days to be dictated by a list of to-do’s and instead expected divine appointments. In other words, what if we expected nothing in 2021 except…
To be surprised!
What if we embraced what is and sought the beauty through thankfulness and joy in the midst of heartache and life interruptions? Remember that Christ is writing a better story through our darkness than we would have without it. For it is in the darkness, we see what we cannot see in the light! This is why we can simultaneously grieve and rejoice in the darkness. We can rejoice for what our sight now beholds and grieve that it has taken the suffering to behold it.
The catalyst for change, new perspective, and a healthy mindset often is suffering hardship, darkness. Without these initially unwelcomed disruptions our story would not be what it is today. Every story must have a crisis, that pivotal moment when everything changes. If we are followers of the Way, this becomes an integral part of our message, our ministry to extend out story to touch others’ stories.
Although we contemplate a life where all moves steadily along without veering one way or the other as bliss, deep down we know this would be too mundane --- too dull. For the highs and lows add color to our life, growth beyond measure, joy and thanksgiving --- they give life motion!
For it is truly in this meandering through the mountains and valleys that we are greeted with unexpected surprises of joy, contentment, gratefulness, relationship, and a story worth living and sharing! Beauty can be discovered and embraced if we dare to uncover its hiding places!