Faith Impacts our Expectations
Monday— … because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation… 1 Peter 1:3
“I have nothing to live for,” Terry muttered. “My marriage is over, kids hate me, job going nowhere…why go on?” He shifted on the window ledge and frowned at the traffic seven floors below. His brother Zane caught his breath and tried again. “Hey, c’mon, bro. I know things look bad now, but listen to me. I’ve been going to that little church on the corner and I’m learning some stuff didn’t know. I’ve been living for the wrong things. That’s why I’ve felt hopeless too. We’re not here by random chance. There’s a God who made us and loves us. He has good for us if we listen to Him. Please, bro…give Him a try.”
Peter, who penned this verse, would have been considered a failure by his society’s standards. He’d abandoned his family’s religion, friends’ advice, and a lucrative fishing business to follow a homeless guy. Yet, he says he lived with “great expectation.” Why? Because he’d seen that homeless guy rise from the dead and suddenly everything He’d said made sense. All those hints about His identity, eternal life, and a Father in heaven came true before his eyes and nobody could convince him otherwise. Because Jesus rose from the dead, Peter knew he would too. That caused him to live with great expectation.
Challenge: When life feels pointless, Peter encourages us to live as he did, with great expectation of joys to come.
Prayer: Father, I’ve felt like Terry before. This life can be pretty awful sometimes. But this life is not all there is. Help me remember that and press on. Because Jesus lives, I can live too. He is my hope for the future. In His name, amen.
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Tuesday— Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:5-7
Have you treated prayer like a slot machine? If you plug in an Our Father, maybe you’ll get something and maybe you won’t. Inviting God into the problem is often our last resort. “All we can do is pray,” we sigh, but our expectation is equal to that of inheriting a billion dollars. James warns us about that attitude. He says when we need wisdom, we should ask with confidence, believing that God wants to give it. In other words, God pays very close attention to our expectations when we pray.
“But…but…” we stammer. “He doesn’t always do what I ask, so how can I be sure He’ll do it this time?” Good question. It is hard to expect an answer when we’ve been disappointed in the past. But just because we didn’t see the answer we wanted doesn’t mean it didn’t come. Many times, God’s answers don’t look like we thought they would. And sometimes they’re delayed. His timing is fine-tuned for the greatest good. So James tells us to pray with expectation that God will answer in His way. Faith praying says, “Just because I don’t see or understand God’s response, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” So we keep our hearts right with Him, lay our requests before Him, and choose to believe that He will ALWAYS do what is right.
Challenge: If you tend to treat prayer like a slot machine, align your will with God’s and expect Him to answer.
Prayer: Lord, I’ve often treated you like a slot machine. I ignore your commands until I need something and then demand you do it my way. Please forgive me. I surrender my will to yours and pray with confidence about ________. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Wednesday— Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
The gifts from Mrs. Jones’ missionary box had all been distributed at the orphanage when six-year-old Maria moved to the front of the crowd, fingers crossed. Mrs. Jones saw her and sighed. “Oh honey,” she whispered. “I-I’m so sorry. That was the last gift. More children showed up than we expected and…” Maria was shaking her head firmly. “No,” she said. “That’s not all. Keep looking.” Tears sprang to Mrs. Jones’ eyes. “I’m sorry, honey…” she began, but Maria’s lips tightened. “I know there has to be another one,” she said and tipped the box on its side. A package tumbled out. Maria laughed as Mrs. Jones’ eyes widened. “There it is!” Maria cried. “My dolly. I asked Jesus for a baby doll. I knew He would send it. So I came to get it.”
That’s the kind of faith that impacts expectations. Even in her poverty, Maria knew Jesus would give her the doll she asked for. So she acted on that faith. It wasn’t a demand (Lord, give me a new car!). It was the simple, childlike faith God loves. Maria’s faith was based on what she knew about the character of God, so she prayed for what she cared about, expecting her heavenly Father to care about it too. When we live with expectation, we notice God’s little love gifts: purple flowers on our walk to work. A $20 bill in our pocket. A nest of bluebirds outside our sickbed window. Without expectation, we take His gifts for granted. But when we look for God’s provision in simple things, we’re encouraged to believe He’ll provide the big things.
Challenge: Be intentional this week about noticing God’s little love gifts. It will increase your faith-filled expectations.
Prayer: Father, forgive me for all the times I don’t appreciate the little love gifts you sprinkle around me. If you care enough to provide things like that, you care enough to answer my big requests too. I will believe before I see. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Thursday— Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20
“I can’t believe this government!” Mitch fumed. Red-faced, he pounded the table for emphasis. “Corrupt, every one of those politicians! Don’t listen to the little guy…take our money, blow it on themselves…can’t get ahead no matter what—” Brad grabbed his friend’s shoulder. “Hey man, take it easy. I’m in the same boat you are, but what good does it do to get all steamed up? Heard a podcast this morning that reminded me this world is temporary. We’ve got what…seventy, eighty years here? Then we move to our real home forever. Kinda puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Helps me readjust my expectations.”
That’s the point of all those scriptures about heaven being our real home. God wants us to readjust our expectations. Christians can obsess over the same things the world obsesses over: money, health, dreams, family… None of that is bad, but it can’t be our main focus. Politics, social issues, injustices can steal our peace when they demand center stage. So we have to view them through the lens of faith. Faith lifts our eyes above the here-and-now to the soon-to-be. We stop expecting this world to meet our needs, fulfill our expectations, and make us happy. Faith-filled expectations help us endure the craziness in front of us. Those who belong to Jesus are not even citizens here. So it’s normal that we don’t feel quite at home.
Challenge: If you wonder why you never feel quite at home in this world, it’s because you were made for another.
Prayer: Father, help me remember that this world is very temporary and my place in it is even more temporary. Have I prepared enough for my real home? May the coming of your kingdom be my highest expectation. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Friday— Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Genesis 6:22
“You’re doing what?” Noelle cried to her husband across the breakfast table. “A boat? What even is a boat? There’s no water around here for miles! What’s a flood?” Noah smiled patiently at his horrified wife. “I understand, dear. I was shocked too. But I met the Lord, the one we try to obey. Well, I met Him and He talked to me and told me He’s about to flood the whole earth because everyone is so wicked. He wants to save us and anyone who will listen to the warning. Me and the boys will build a huge boat for us and the animals He’ll bring us. My other projects will be on hold for now. I’ve got a boat to build.”
When Noah woke up that morning, boat-building was the last thing on his mind. He had the same expectations we have when the alarm goes off: gotta do that…go there…talk to them… So what changed? He encountered the God of the universe. When that happens, everything changes, including our expectations. Left to ourselves, we’re focused on temporary goals: “I’ll be a millionaire by fifty…I wanna leave my mark on the world…I just wanna have fun…” But when faith gets hold of us, everything changes. Obedience replaces self-reliance. Love replaces skepticism. Worship replaces self-centeredness. After Noah met God, his expectations changed because he got a glimpse of the bigger picture. It made him want to do everything just as God commanded him. When we get a glimpse of the bigger picture, we want to do everything God commands us too.
Challenge: Has faith impacted your expectations so that you want to do everything just as God commanded you?
Prayer: Father, has my faith in you changed my expectations from self-reliance to God-reliance? If not, maybe it’s not the right faith. I transfer ownership of my life to you. I want your goals, your vision. Change my expectations. In Jesus’ name, amen.
