Expectation vs. Reality
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” Psalm 115:3
My favorite memes of 2020 all have to do with “expectation vs. reality”. Not only are they hilarious (and painfully accurate) but they communicate to us something that we’ve all experienced. Let’s face it, we’ve all planned out how something was going to go and then been let down or surprised by what actually happened.
It’s hard not to create an idea of what our life is going to be like, but, more often than not, we’re left caught off guard, frustrated, and anxious when things don’t pan out how we imagined them. Whether it’s a relationship that we didn’t expect to end, a tragic incident that happens, or a rejection letter we thought we’d never receive, things happen that we could never have predicted or chosen to be in our lives.
So how can we see God’s grace and goodness through these situations? We rest in knowing that God’s reasoning and understanding is much greater than our own. Through that, we’re able to understand how God uses situations to show us we’re not in control and the magnificent plan He has for us- A plan MUCH better than what we could’ve constructed ourselves.
It’s through trusting God and letting go of the anxiety of our lives, that allows us to see where God’s working in our life. Some scripture that can apply to this is Psalm 115:3 and Ephesians 1:11. In Psalm 115:3 it says, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases”. In Ephesians 1:11 it says, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will”.
A quote that has stuck with me for a long time from Pastor Steven Furtick is, “I wouldn’t choose some of the things that have happened to me, but I wouldn’t change them either”. Even though tough times may come, they can provide a way for us to grow in our faith.
Though things don’t always make sense, looking back at it, we’re able to see how we’ve grown into someone who is more confident in who they are and who God is. Once we give up control and watch the creator work through our lives, we experience an all-consuming confidence in knowing that God’s plan is superior to our own.