We wait in hope for the LORD, he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalms 33:20-22, NIV)
I’m taking golf lessons right now and am in the middle of trying to make a change in my swing. It is frustrating. The disconnect between my expectations and performance makes me wonder if it is worth it. The most difficult thing is learning to trust that the new swing will ultimately be better than the old one. Mostly I need to trust that my teacher knows better than I do what will ultimately make me better.
What a relief not to have to figure out every detail of every moment of my life!I find the same thing happening in my real life as God is trying to teach me to trust him with expectancy about the future, as opposed to working to achieve my own expectations. There is a difference between expectation and expectancy. Expectation is a strong belief that someone will or should achieve something. It is an assumption, prediction, or presumption. Expectancy is the state of thinking that something will happen or be the case. It is anticipation, eagerness, or excitement.
Expectations find their fulfillment in performance—the action or process of carrying out an action or task. It results in execution, accomplishment, completion, or implementation. Expectancy is based on trust—the firm belief in the character, strength, or truth of someone or something. It is confident hope.
I have spent most of my life trying to achieve my own expectations. I have worked hard and had success. I have executed my own plans with sheer determination. It has been exhausting! I have only recently begun to realize that God wants something different from me. He wants me to look to him with expectancy (anticipation, eagerness, and excitement), trusting in his character and strength and placing my hope in him. My life is not about what I achieve with my own efforts and strength, which only leaves me exhausted and empty. Rather it is about allowing God to accomplish his purposes for me knowing that his plans are always better than my own.
What a relief not to have to figure out every detail of every moment of my life! By giving God back the steering wheel, I no longer have to worry about where I am going. I trust him and his unfailing love for me. I know he is going to get me to my ultimate destination. I don’t have to have expectations about exactly how that will work out. I just need to view the future with the expectancy and eagerness of knowing that God is good and knows what is best for me.
—
Linda Ballard
February 4, 2016
Copyright 2016 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.