expectations Archives - Sharla Fritz

Spring Cleaning: Let’s Throw Out Expectations

Spring Cleaning-ExpectationsPIN 

Expectations.

I have a bunch of clothes in my closet that I should throw out because they have failed to live up to my expectations.

  • the “slim-secret” jeans that actually reveal every secret of my figure
  • the jacket that I thought would coordinate with so many outfits, but I have yet to find a single item it matches

Expectations.
Maybe it would be good to just throw them out all together.

Spring Cleaning-Expectations

When I graduated from college with a music degree, I expected to have a bevy of piano students knocking at my door. I assumed I would have an abundance of pupils excelling in music-making.

And even though I married to a pastor, I did not expect to be the church organist. In fact, I told God I would never become a church organist.

However, my husband’s first church was in Missoula, Montana–a beautiful town that an abundance of fine piano teachers and a church (our church) that had no organist. And so my music degree was put to work on the organ.

Life was not turning out as I expected.

The trouble with expectations is that they set you up for disappointment. Just when I think the thing I most want is in my grasp, it falls away. Just when the vision I want for my life begins to focus, it all fades to black.

But even when our expectations have let us down, it doesn’t mean there is no hope.

It just means that we have put our hope in the wrong thing. 

The psalmist Asaph had to talk to his soul when he was discouraged. Perhaps his expectations had been crushed. He said:

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalm 42:5

When I put my hope in specific happenings, I may be disappointed.

But if I put my hope and expectations in God, I am never disillusioned. Things may not go as I have planned, but God has bigger and better things in mind.
I had certain expectations for my career. I expected happiness and fulfillment to come through piano teaching.

I hated playing the organ and fulling assumed that I would be miserable sitting on the organ bench Sunday after Sunday.
But it turned out that I found joy in using my musical training to praise God. My expectations for my career were not fulfilled, but my joy in God was.

Expectations.

Let’s throw them out. Let’s not assume our lives will go according to our plans. Life is unpredictable.

Let’s release the belief that happiness and joy are only available when our expectations are met.

Instead, let’s put our hope in God. Let’s expect that God has something wonderful for us just around the corner.  

Next step: What expectations for your life have you been clinging to? Write a prayer giving them to God and praising Him that He has something wonderful planned for your life.

Great Expectations: What to Do When Life Disappoints

We expect great things out of life. But often life disappoints us.

A while back, my husband and I were scrolling through Netflix, trying to find something to watch. I spied a movie with a plotline described as, “An accomplished pianist’s life takes a terrible turn. An aimless college student becomes her caregiver and the two form a bond that enriches both their lives.”

The movie had me at “accomplished pianist.” As a pianist myself, I’m drawn to stories about musicians. This movie sounded perfect.

The only problem was the movie wasn’t really about a musician. The main character only played the piano once. Music never had a major role in the plot. I was disappointed.

The movie did not live up to my expectations.

Life is Full of Disappointment

Life is like that too, right? I mean, most of us have experienced disappointments, setbacks, even tragedies that we did not expect. All our hopes and dreams become like deflated balloons that sink from the ceiling and lay around on the floor.

And if we’re not careful, our joy and trust can burst and disappear.

I think the problem is when we put our hopes and expectations in the wrong things. We expect life to treat us well. If you live in America, the land based on the “pursuit of happiness,” you expect your life to improve, to get better every day.

However, Jesus told us if that is our view of life, it will not live up to our expectations. He said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Living in this sin-sickened world, we really can’t assume we’ll have a perfect life. Instead we can expect pain, sickness, and stinking problems.

Someone Worthy of My Expectations

This sounds pretty grim until I realize that there is Someone worthy of my expectations. God has promised to never leave me, never forsake me. He is faithful. He is loving. He is good. While my life here won’t be perfect, I can expect God to always come through when I need Him. I can trust that He has a fantastic plan for my life.

John 3:14-15 (MSG) says:

In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

Look to Jesus–trusting and expectant–and your life will be real. Maybe it won’t be the life you had planned. Perhaps it won’t be the life you had carefully arranged. Maybe it won’t be the life you had shaped in your mind. But trusting in the God who loves you more than you know will give the life you were meant for.

Life won’t live up to our expectations. But God will never let us down.

Next step: What do you do when life disappoints? Is there a part of your life that is not living up to your expectations right now? Write it on a piece of paper and offer it to God in prayer. Ask Him to help you let it go. Pray that He will help you trust Him for the most awesome life possible.