WHAT'S YOUR CULTURE OF EXPECTATION ?

Have you ever heard some people say: " well, as for me, I don't count on people that much , or once so and so turns out like this or a person does not come through in such and such a way, I don't consider them anymore" Once I overheard someone talking about their "terms" when it came to friendship and loyalty and I was shaken to the bone. She had it all figured out. If a person says this, or responds this way, I already know that it's A B C , so the next step I take is this, or I shut them out." I was just marvelled. It was obvious that the person had been through so much to the point where their culture of expectation was tailored to a certain pattern, with certain conditions attached and once certain signs were not as expected, they locked the doors tight, to say ADIOS forever. FOr some, the culture of expectation is so thin, based on disappointsments from close friends and relatives,  such that we do not open up easily. Don't talk of coming clean or feeling free or sharing how we truly feel or sincere talk, no. We are not used to being open about our feelings, because we feel our interests have never been considered or our feelings have been taken for granted often so we never really truly share our heartfelt thoughts. Some also don't consider people's actions as benign or harmless, NO : it's always a matter of: what does she want? What is she looking for? What is the motive behind this etc. Or, for some, it's an "I don't owe anyone an explanation kind of mode. I do what will make me survive. Don't ask me to explain .

We are all tempted to build one form of expectation culture or another based on what we have seen in life. This reflex of expectation whether we know it or not, plays a major role in our relationship with the LORD.This implicit feeling or outlook is often carried over onto how we see God. " Well, cus of last night's mistake or sin, he may have bailed out on me" Deep down we are crying  " God will you say something?" and on the outside, we pretend "whatever,  i'm okay, don't know what to do or think, so voilà." We expect the Lord to forgive us yet we do not know how to be sincere in our apology or to know that unlike humans, he is not calculating sins against us , but waiting for us to grow and mature in understanding and above all, wanting to teach us and lead us there.  We see everything in a "punishment" lens, or cut off versus "retaliation" lens. And we do not expect any breakthrough when our relationship or walk with God is going through a test. Sometimes we give him an ultimatum in prayer and if i'ts not done, we do not know how to go beyond that dissapointment and see with an eye of faith, what God is doing. All we see is the time Uncle promised to pay the fees and didn't! causing us to hussle. God then becomes the second mean insensitive "UNCLE" on the block.

God is sovereign and even beyond that, He is eternally good and true. His ways are perfect , not our ways, but PERFECT. Such that even if he seems to have "disappointed", we are better of counting  on His sovereign wisdom than on our "what we know to do in these circumstances" action plan. Sometimes, you may judge your circumstances too quickly. You may say, well, maybe this is how far He can bring me. Or, there may be something particularly wrong in my case that God Himself cannot figure out! But till you take your last breath, it's not over. Do not let your old culture of expectation cause you to walk in doubt and bitterness with God, when He is still perfecting your life in all areas. Perhaps on your clock, you are late, and so the curtain is closed, but if you raised your ears to Him, you will hear Him say "Dominate, fill the earth" and that word is not returning void. It has power to change and to revive and restore you in your worst difficulties. It is still valid.  Your appointment with God cannot end in disappointment just because your human expectation was not met. The unexpected does not mean God disappeared. The divine appointment is still on! so do not let your culture of expectation ruin the preparation God is taking you through. Don't weep too long. Tune in by prayer and by obedience and you will hear the one who seemingly "disappointed " you, saying, "this way", "I changed the expected route , but the journey is still on". 

Psalm 145:17-20

The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in Truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them....

Sometimes, your culture of expectation has to change in order to make room for the manifestation of God's greatness, glory and Sovereign plans. Will you let Him ?

Hope you do.

Blessings:

PS: A picture of me raising my curtain of expectation to recieve God :) taken in China, some years back. Beams. God's Faithful.

Alice Blighton Dadzie

Devotional  Blog / Faith Inspirations in Writing