Faith Expectations: Learning to look heavenward

Contributed by Liz Hunt

We have spent this month talking about expectations. We have defined them, looked at day-to-day expectations and family expectations. Now we turn to faith expectations.

As Christians, what should expectations should we have for our faith. Romans 8:25 says, “But if we wait expectantly for things we have never seen, then we hope with true perseverance and eager anticipation.” Clearly, the focus of our expectations should be eternal. When our expectations are oriented toward the heavenly we rest in the hope of forever with our Lord.

I have to be honest here. I get sidetracked from the heavenly and get stuck in the earthly quite often. Pretty much every day. My prayers focus on squelching earthly problems to the detriment of expectant anticipation of our eternal heavenly home. I pray for healing. I pray for strength to get through the day. I pray for patience with my family. All good things. However, I find myself often frustrated that God doesn’t answer my prayers. I continue to struggle with extreme fatigue and chronic headaches. Most days I come home after work and crash. My fatigue often causes me to be impatient with my family.

Why won’t God answer my prayers? Perhaps he has. Lately, I keep hearing the quiet whisper of, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I read a book where the main character repeated this verse over and over again. I ran across a cute coffee cup with that first in script on the side. My good friend sent me the verse as an “I’m thinking of you and care” text. Hmm, perhaps I should readjust my thinking. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

In all His wisdom, the Lord always exceeds our expectations. Reorienting our expectations to focus heavenward realigns us to right thinking, to rest on His wisdom, not ours. It helps us to hear Him. He loves us more than we can imagine. He restores completely. When we rest in him, our expectations will be exceeded.