Expectations

Expectation: To be filled with anticipation and confidence that something hoped for will happen.

Have you ever gone to watch a movie that you had high hopes for only to leave feeling disappointed?  I have found that the best movie experiences I have ever had are when I don't have any expectations at all.  I simply show up and enjoy the show.

Life is full of expectations.  Every single person carries with them hopes and dreams.  Some expectations are met and may go above and beyond what we had ever hoped. While some may let us down; and if we are not careful, those expectations may lead us down a path of shattered dreams.

It is important to clearly communicate what it is that we expect... from ourselves, from our spouse, from our children, from our family and friends, from our boss and coworkers... the list goes on.  This allows for frustration, miscommunication and any expectations that may be unrealistic or unattainable to be snuffed out.

So how do we handle unmet expectations?  With grace.  It helps to keep in mind that all have fallen short. That none of us are perfect.  There is only one person in this world that I am certain I can place my highest expectation and never be disappointed.  It's not in myself, in others, or in my circumstances. It's in Christ alone.

My hope is built on nothing less.

And my God will supply 

every need of yours

according to his riches 

in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Listen: Cornerstone by Hillsong

Glorious grace

To the praise of his glorious grace,

which he has freely given us 

in the One he loves.

In him we have redemption

through his blood,

the forgiveness of sins in accordance

with the riches of God's grace 

that he lavished on us.

Ephesians 1:6-8

Grace.  I am undeserving of this gift. This beautiful gift. Freely given. There is nothing that I have done to receive it.

It has been lavished upon me... in glorious abundance.

Even as I grieve, there are echoes of his grace.  As the end draws near, we come face to face with Jesus... the ultimate grace.

This is an expression of his love.  He swapped my sin for his righteousness on the cross.

So I stand in the downpour.  It covers me.  All my shortcomings, my fears and failures, all my guilt, my shame and inadequacies.  His grace meets me where I am and refuses to leave me the way that I was.

Listen: Grace So Glorious by London Gatch

One sweet day I will see Jesus face to face.  For all eternity I will say, "Worthy is the One who is crowned in glory. Holy are you, Lord".

Blessed

Blessed [happy] is the man

whose sin the Lord 

does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Psalm 32:2

The Lord is ready to forgive. Jesus paid it all. Oh the wondrous cross! My sins, the sins of the world, held him there. He took my place. A death I deserved... a death we all deserved. 

My heart is overwhelmed with thanksgiving. Not just because of the cross, but because he lives... victoriously!! He conquered death, hell, and the grave. No other god has ever gone that far. 

How could we ever repay him for all he has done for us? Simply by accepting and believing the freedom of his forgiveness. 

Don't let the mistakes of your past keep you from moving forward today. Let them go. Be blessed. Be free. 

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Do you believe it?

Beauty in the mess

If I ever want my house to look spotless, I invite people over.  I don't know if there is a scientific law for this, but I have tested it time and time again and the end result is always the same.  The mess is gone... well, at least for the moment.

Life is messy.  From piles of laundry and stacks of dishes to broken relationships and abuse. Some messes are easy to hide, while others may be harder to control. Some are complicated and interwoven into the depths of our being.

Messes may appear different in each person's life, but one thing is for sure... we all have them and they aren't pretty. 

However, if I take a closer look, I see beauty in my mess.

Because, you see, my mess is covered in grace.

Jesus sees our weaknesses. He sees our mistakes, our failures and our hurts.  He understands our human frailty. So I come to him.

No matter how badly I mess up throughout the day, I make time to stop and acknowledge him. I thank him for who he is and all that he has done for me. It can be as quick as an exhale through the mundane saying "Jesus, help me. I need you".

It is there that he extends to me his grace and in return I am able to give grace to myself.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me".

That's how I find beauty in the mess.