We have the following Bible verses written on a chalkboard above our kitchen sink: Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness & in the shadow of death, & to guide us to the path of peace. Luke 1:78-78 NLT
I chose to write out these verses for a few reasons. First of all, I like the picture it illustrates of God's mercy & how ultimately his mercy & light lead us to peace. Second, these verses speak of hope to me. They say that even in darkness & death there is hope! And last, it reminds me to live every day with expectancy. It says that heaven "is about" to break upon us; it's almost foreshadowing God's faithfulness.
I've been thinking about this third point a lot lately. Expectancy. What does it mean? What does it look like? I think I've referenced it before, but I'm reading a book that's written specifically for people in a time of waiting. It says that it's, "Hope & Encouragement in the Waiting." I have found so many of the daily passages talking about expecting after God. It's as if it's a mental shift that needs to happen in me. It's like the author is basically saying that we need to expect God to be good, faithful & true. (because that's who he is!)
I think this is a hard head space for me to be in sometimes. In my relationships with others, I've found that having expectations can sometimes be a negative thing. This has been especially be true in marriage; I had no idea how many expectations I had of myself as a wife & of my husband! I've had to work really hard these last 5 years to let go of some of those expectations & realize that all is going to be okay.
For me, I think this is one of those instances where I view my relationship with God through my experiences with family & friends. And while that is not a helpful or fair comparison, it is probably why I find it hard to be expectant on God. It's difficult to want to expect things from God when my family & friends have disappointed me during different times in my life. And even though I know that God is different; it's still hard for me to have this mindset.
So, that is where my mind is tonight. Slowly shifting in what I think about God & how I can trust him with my expectations. May my faith grow, strengthen & be like Abraham.
Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, & in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. Romans 4:20-21 NLT
I chose to write out these verses for a few reasons. First of all, I like the picture it illustrates of God's mercy & how ultimately his mercy & light lead us to peace. Second, these verses speak of hope to me. They say that even in darkness & death there is hope! And last, it reminds me to live every day with expectancy. It says that heaven "is about" to break upon us; it's almost foreshadowing God's faithfulness.
I've been thinking about this third point a lot lately. Expectancy. What does it mean? What does it look like? I think I've referenced it before, but I'm reading a book that's written specifically for people in a time of waiting. It says that it's, "Hope & Encouragement in the Waiting." I have found so many of the daily passages talking about expecting after God. It's as if it's a mental shift that needs to happen in me. It's like the author is basically saying that we need to expect God to be good, faithful & true. (because that's who he is!)
I think this is a hard head space for me to be in sometimes. In my relationships with others, I've found that having expectations can sometimes be a negative thing. This has been especially be true in marriage; I had no idea how many expectations I had of myself as a wife & of my husband! I've had to work really hard these last 5 years to let go of some of those expectations & realize that all is going to be okay.
For me, I think this is one of those instances where I view my relationship with God through my experiences with family & friends. And while that is not a helpful or fair comparison, it is probably why I find it hard to be expectant on God. It's difficult to want to expect things from God when my family & friends have disappointed me during different times in my life. And even though I know that God is different; it's still hard for me to have this mindset.
So, that is where my mind is tonight. Slowly shifting in what I think about God & how I can trust him with my expectations. May my faith grow, strengthen & be like Abraham.
Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, & in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. Romans 4:20-21 NLT
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