I was pondering the two nouns in our title today, asking myself if the two are one in the same, or if one encompasses the other in a much broader sense. Let me set up our time together on this topic in this way. Expectations are clear and dependable, almost factual in their nature. Faith is dependable, yet the clarity of faith is quite different than that of an expectation. Now that made everything about as clear as mud I'm guessing?? Let's take a little deeper look at these two actionable terms and make sure we are moving closer to the faith side of the spectrum with the expectation tagging right along with us.
Expectations are clear and dependable. What does that mean in terms of God and our relationship, or reliance on Him? We expect that the sun is going to rise in the east and set in the west each day. We expect that if we work at our job and do what is expected of us that we will receive pay for our work on Friday. Expectations are accepted as true and factual in the scope of our daily lives. Commonly accepted, the expectation is that when cars see a red light ahead, they will slow down and come to a complete stop so the traffic from the opposing direction may move along without fear of being slammed in to by other cars. Sound simple enough? Let's try this one. We have an expectation that when we lay down at night, we are going to wake up the next morning. True statement? Do we expect that we will wake up the next morning, or do we trust that if it is God's will for us to have another day we will wake up? There in is the conceptual difference between having an expectation and demonstrating our faith in God the Father to have a full-blown plan that exceeds our wildest imagination. Now we are entering the realm of faith.
In my opinion, I believe we blur the lines between having expectations and where faith takes over. We expect God to have a plan, but so many times we expect that plan to be what we envision it to be. We expect God to heal the sick after we pray for healing. We expect God to protect those we pray for from those deadly "D's" (Debt, Disease, Divorce, Drugs, Depression, or Death). And, we expect God to intervene in our afflictions and adversity to "fix" the situation in the manner that we expect things to work out for someone that believes in God. Am I on track so far? Let's take a look through the lens of faith and determine where these two words, expectation and faith live in harmony, and then where faith takes over at a totally different level of trust.
Faith takes effort. Faith is built around a relationship. We come to expect things to be the way they are and, in most cases, the "way they are" is favorable to our humanness. Like the example above, we expect to lay down to sleep and then wake up the next morning. Our faith trusts that we will wake up in the morning, but faith also believes that if something happens and I don't wake up the next day it is all a part of God's plan and that plan may directly or indirectly involve my life. Faith promises me that through pain, through suffering, in conflict, and throughout adversity God has a plan. There are no coincidences. The guarantees of expectations are extended in faith because if you trust in God then the guarantee is that God has a plan, and we don't get to pick the one that best suits us, that is why it is God's plan not our own.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1. We can't see what tomorrow holds, we base our faith in the fact that God holds tomorrow in His hands and His plan will be fulfilled. Will we see the plan become reality? Will we see the mountain move because we have the faith of a mustard seed? (Matthew 17:20). I believe the answer to that question is yes, we have a faith that believes that if we say in faith to that mountain move, then it will be moved when God is ready for it to be moved. We must continue believing and trusting that God will move that mountain when it is time for it to be moved regardless if we ever see it moved in the time God has given us to live and serve.
Allow your faith to exceed your expectations. Spend time in God's word and spend time alone with God seeking to better understand the full impact of faith in your walk with God. When faith is present then pain and suffering take on a whole different perspective. Faith may not remove pain, but faith will make it bearable because we understand that our pain will benefit someone else. We may serve as an example to others so that they can bear the pain they are getting ready to experience, or we may serve as a counsel or guide when affliction is knocking. Faith holds a promise and I am grateful for that promise, it is my job to put God in a box and limit His promises to what I want or wish to see as an outcome for others problems.
At the end of the day we hold on to certain expectations that are housed inside our faith. We cross the realm of having expectations when we live out our faith in God by trusting his omnipotent and omniscient power and strength! My prayer for each of us is that our faith will be increased through a committed effort to know God and to trust in His plans. It won't happen overnight, but it will grow each day we submit our will to Him and allow His plans and purpose for our life to be fulfilled.
Coach Carter
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