Expectation

Expectation... probably is the number one cause of disappointment and depression in the US today.


Bold statement? I authored it so I wouldn't tout that statistic to anyone... I really do think it is true though! Two weeks ago at church, a Biblical counseling professor from Masters Seminary was talking about depression- the cause not being from hating yourself, but loving yourself too much, and then being dissapointed in yourself- that you aren't skinny enough or your lips are too small, your husband doesn't make enough money...

You can listen to the sermon here:
http://gracebiblerichmond.org/media_player.asp?messageID=23200

Its true with me! My counselor mom has some catchy phrase about expect leads to reject or something like that... (obviously it wasn't catchy enough, right?) But whenever I have expectations of something that doesn't happen- serious discouragement is not far. I remember the entire 2 weeks I was in Malaysia last Christmas I was looking forward to going out with my parents to the Cheesecake factory after they picked me up from the airport. They promised it before I left, we even emailed about it... then- trauma of traumas- I got off the plane and into the car (seriously sleep deprived mind you, having been awake and traveling for 27 hours) and my parents told me we weren't going. NO LIE- I burst into tears. ;) Over the Cheesecake factory!!! LAME-O. I know... there is power in expectation.

The complete word expectation is only used a few times in Scripture... although expect is used a few times more.

Psalm 5:3 is one of them
"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

Thats a scary one... huge set up for dissapointment, no? This goes along with praying in faith- a concept I definitely don't think I understand.

The one that came to mind instantly was Romans 8:13
"The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed."

I love Philippians 1:20
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."

Note expect is differentiated from hope here.
I think this is an important distinction.... My thought of the day is that I cannot expect ANYTHING except for the return of Christ and the things Im promised in Scripture. Anything else that I expect from my life will lead to disappointment and depression...

I can have hope for other things, but I dare not expect them! I can hope to be married one day, hope to wake up tomorrow, hope to hike Mt. Whitney... but the ONLY hope that does not dissapoint is found in the person of Christ (Romans 5:5) AMEN!