Oh, Those Expectations
After purchasing our usual popcorn and half Coke Zero, half Cherry Coke combo drink (the happiness of Cherry Coke with fewer calories), my wife and I found our seats in anticipation of enjoying Guardians of the Galaxy. Well, it was a moderated hope—a rather low one, actually. I had enjoyed previous Marvel movies, so I had reason to think this next one would be great. Yet, I was unfamiliar with the characters, and the collection of heroes seemed to be a random, awkward fit. And I’m glad I had low expectations.
Rather quickly—particularly Peter Quill lip-synching Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love”—I found myself laughing and fully drawn into the characters. I don’t know if I have ever enjoyed a film in the movies as much as Guardians of the Galaxy, and it isn’t even among my favorite movies. My enjoyment of the film came from the positive difference between my exceedingly low expectations and my actual enjoyment of the film.
Expectations matter.
You and I have expectations about what God can and cannot do, could and could not do, would and would not do, will and won’t do. Some of our expectations are clear, but others are quite hidden, operating on our hearts in stealth—for better or worse.
Unfortunately, with a lust for temporary circumstantial security, it’s a common temptation for followers of Jesus in the United States to focus less on the permanent security of relationship with God and in turn be consumed with avoiding temporary difficulty. Putting aside the guarantee of difficulty in the world that Jesus gives to those who desire to follow Him, we can search for circumstantial security from things that are impotent of such provision—finances, jobs, physical well-being, and many others. Yes, God does provide, and it may be in certain cases that He chooses to give financial provision, a new job, and physical healing that the medical community cannot explain (I’ve seen and heard of many cases). Yet, God has also allowed some disciples to languish in financial poverty, struggle for employment, and suffer unto physical death.
Be careful of your expectations.
Don’t hold God accountable for anything that He hasn’t guaranteed to you. If I expect that God will act in a certain manner, what will I then think of Him if He doesn’t? If I believe that God has guaranteed me a certain financial status, but I continue to remain behind in my bills, what will I then believe? Perhaps He doesn’t care about me after all. He’s indifferent about me. He’s too busy for me. He takes pleasure in seeing me suffer. You fill in the blank with another disastrously false perspective on God’s truly rich affection for you. And it’s not God’s fault for not intervening as you want Him to. He does as He pleases. God welcomes our requests, but we should not think so poorly of Him and so much of ourselves that we could tame Him.
We follow Him. He does not follow us.
God wants us to draw near to Him, and He has made us to be with Him. Yet, when we try to hold Him to provision He has not guaranteed, whether sourced in false interpretation or application of Scripture, the words of someone we consider authoritative, or elsewhere, we do ourselves great harm. For if no provision comes, we may blame God for His failure to act as He is able, severing our nearness to Him. If provision does come, then our false understanding of what God has guaranteed may be reinforced, setting us up for failure in the future, and misunderstanding God in the present, which influences our ability to draw near to Him in correct understanding.
Make much of your time here in what securities are not guaranteed: expect difficulty, expect trouble, expect pain and suffering, expect to be hatred simply for following him. Rest contentedly in what securities are guaranteed: that God’s love for you is firm and unyielding, that He will always be with you, that He will not lose you, that in the end of things you will always be with Him, and that He will make use of every difficulty - particularly for your formation and perhaps the formation of others. And in the end of things, He will address everything in perfect justice. Wherever you find yourself, may we take the direction of Paul, who by experience learned to be content in all things. Contentment is available for everyone, and along the way we must orient our expectations to the truth of who God is, what He has guaranteed, and what He wants of us on this side of the end of things.