Crucify Your Expectations

It seems to me that the root of most of my dissatisfaction, with just about anything, is unmet expectations. Now don't go thinking that I walk around in a constant state of dissatisfaction. Just not true. However, it would be nice to experience more of that "abundant life" Jesus tells us is ours and I think, for me at least, the bitter taste of my expectations crashing and burning robs me of that experience.

Expectations are part of our nature. They are part of everything we experience. When my wife sees an outfit on the rack that she likes, she has the expectation that it will look great on her. When we go out for a frozen custard sundae we expect that it will be a time deliciously spent. We have expectations about everything!

Dissatisfaction sets in, though, when those expectations are not met; the outfit doesn't look right or the frozen custard place is closed (because it can never taste bad!!). These are pretty benign experiences but when we broaden our scope to include our relationships, including our relationship with God, things can get cancerous.

When things don't turn out the way I expect they should I blame the perpetrator before ever thinking that, perhaps, my expectation was incorrect. I find that I even treat God this way. When he doesn't act like I think he is supposed to I get upset with him! This is truly a "potter and the clay" issue in me. What do I know of anything?? In my human relationships these unmet expectations can seed roots of bitterness that lead to mistrust and, eventually, dormancy or death.

When we boil it down...selfishness is what it's all about.

So what can we do? We can continually and willfully crucify our expectations. This means letting go our hold on them and releasing them to die at the feet of Jesus. He, then, can return to us his reality of the abundant life! As long as we have our hands full of the rocks we feel are so important, Jesus can't give us the gems of what he has waiting for us.

Go to the cross continually, crucify your selfishness and receive back your true self; your abundant self in Christ.