Adjusting Expectations

Tonight I was reminded of unfulfilled expectations. Titus (my middle son) ordered a video game from Amazon. I have a prime account and so things normally get here pretty quick, unless you are kid waiting on video game! So it was scheduled to arrive tonight and for whatever reason, it didn't. More than likely it will be here tomorrow, but that is a whole day too long for him =). As he was super disappointed about the lack of delivery, Carrie tells him that next time we order something we will just tell him it will be here in 2 weeks, that way if it comes earlier it will be exciting.

As I was sitting here thinking about Titus' expectation and discouragement, I was challenged in my own life. We are so used to men failing in fulfilling promises, that we often lower our expectations. That philosophy has expanded and trickled down into our walk with God though. We don't dream big things for God, that way we aren't disappointed when He doesn't deliver. 

Ok, so maybe we don't exactly say it like that, but we live like it. We don't pray like we are praying to a God who LOVES to give good gifts to His children. We pray like we are trying squeeze a raise out of Ebenezer Scrooge. But it isn't just our prayer life that gets beaten down by this mentality. It is our witnessing (what if they get mad?, or what if they ask me a question I can't answer?), our giving (what if I can't pay the bills?, or what if I need that money for me?), our worship (what if serving God doesn't make me as happy as I thought it would?, or what if don't understand part of it?), our service (what if people don't like how I run this particular ministry?, or what if I mess up and miss someone or something?). I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. 

When was the last time that you asked something big from God. Not a pay raise, not a new car type prayer, but a real request for God to do something big. Like praying that God will bring revival to your family, your church, and your community. Or praying that God would use you to lead 10 people to the Lord in the next year, or that God would allow you to support a missionary directly, or that God provide you an opportunity to take a missions trip, etc. When we pray big things of God, we can pray them with excitement, courage, passion and confidence. Why? Because we pray them to a big God who is worthy of the worship that big things give. 

When it comes to our expectations of God, let's make them realistic, make them big!