Greetings!
“Expectations”
“It is IMPOSSIBLE that no OFFENSE should come” Luke 17:1
One of the HARDEST AREAS we all struggle with is what we do with our DISAPPOINTED EXPECTATIONS of others. Parents disappoint us as do children, siblings, friends, associates, pastors, essentially everyone sooner or later lets us down. Our feelings of sadness and displeasure caused by the non-fulfillment of our hopes or expectations of others is an inward management we all need to deal with.
We must CHOOSE consistently not to take offense. Why? Because after 73 years of life, I’ve learned that we all differ widely in our dispositions, habits, education, that our ways of looking at things honestly vary. We judge differently. Even our understanding of truth and our ideas in regard to how we conduct our life are not in all respects the same. What one finds very easy, another finds most difficult. So liable to misconception is our human nature, that we should be careful in the estimate we place each other.
Bottom line, “All have sinned , and COME SHORT of the glory of God.” Rms. 3:23 Therefore, it behooves all of us to extend to each the same amount of grace that God extends to us on our journey. If we cooperate, God will empower us to, “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” Gal 6:2 That means I need to place each struggle I have with others before God, that He may empower me to carry out His will in the matter, His way.
Are there not reasonable expectations? Yes! For me they are honesty, respect, kindness, healthy disagreement and discussion, and lots of grace. Outside of this framework, we should be careful not to take into our hands the work of judging that belongs to God. Matthew 7:1-3
It is in nature, alone with God, that I sort out a lot of my inner struggles.
Jim Hohnberger
Empowered Living Ministries