Grace and Expectations

Well yesterday didn’t turn out how I had planned but it ended up being a good day.  See this post for more details on yesterday.  No, I did not get my hair cut.  After waiting an hour, I decided it would be better to reschedule and take back control of my day.  God in his graciousness made it possible for me to work with one of my former students looking up job openings that fit her skill set on the internet.  I knew if I tried to make the original plans work, I would just be frustrated.  By releasing my plans, I released my expectations and was able to move on.  I also found some redemption in my day as I spent time with my student and her mother.

Now its the next day.  I have no hard feelings towards my friend for not calling me to let me know the plans were changed.  I am okay with rescheduling.  Hurt feelings are gone.  All is forgiven.  The questions is about expectations.  We have them but should we?   I think we should.   Expectations help people live up to who they should be.  For example, I expect my children to pick up their rooms, brush their teeth, be respectful to adults and many other things.  Sometimes they meet those expectations. Sometimes they don’t.  The key is that I still love them the same whether they meet the expectations or not.  Unmet expectations are met with grace and some guidance or boundaries to help them meet the expectations in the future.  So it is okay to have expectations if I am also prepared to have grace when they are not met.  In the case of my friend, I will be talking to her today about how there are no hard feelings on my part but that I was disappointed she never called.  I will also be a little more careful in how I go about scheduling plans with other people at least for a little while.  I guess you could say I am a little gun shy.

 God has expectations of us.  He needs us to be holy.  We can’t meet those expectations.  By his grace, He sent Jesus to die so we could meet those expectations through the blood of His Son.  I am so thankful He did.   Now even though our salvation is based on grace, God has expectations of us as His children but once again He provided a way by giving us His Spirit to help us live up to those expectations.  Once again, I am thankful He did.

Dear God, Thank you for making a way for us to meet your expectations.  Thank you for your grace and your spirit to help us live a life that is pleasing to you.  Be with us and help us to have grace with others but to also help them live a life pleasing to you.  Amen