Unmet Expectations
The worst feeling to feel, and I could potentially argue someone on this, is the feeling of disappointment. Who likes to feel as though things didn't go the right way, and constantly dwell on that? Who likes to feel as though everything was going great and then suddenly you're crushed under a thousand pounds of heartache and regret?
No one. No one likes to feel that way.
Yet I find myself in this state fairly often. I think my life is going one way, and when the expectation(s) I've set for myself fall through, BAM disappointment. And disappointment is honestly the worst. Career choices, relationships, friends, you name it; disappointment is bound to happen.
The worst thing about unmet expectations is that they come because I can't just be patient; they come because I can't (and I don't) rely on a God who is faithful, who is reliable, who knows what's up and knows what's best. If I'm being honest I'm more on the "don't" side than the "can't" side; that human nature you know?
Unmet expectations get the best of me. I see potential in people and I hold them to a high standard; this standard doesn't get met and I'm disappointed in me for things not turning out the way I want them to. I see potential in a situation or event and I hold it to a high standard; this standard doesn't get met and I'm disappointed in me for not working hard enough or empowering people to do the best they can do.
As I near the end of my college career and start to think of life after Kingswood, I can't help but think I'm setting an expectation far too high for myself of what my life will be like in ministry. I picture myself as doing incredibly amazing things, but what if I land in a church somewhere? Am I actually going to be able to preach well enough to see people's lives changed? And what if I end up on the mission field? Am I actually going to have the skills I think I have already to adapt to a whole new culture and do that well?
Expectations bring disappointment; this is a pattern I have recognized, this is a pattern I have allowed myself to mentally stay in, and this is a pattern I am determined to break.
No I'm not going to hide myself away and hope that will fix things, but what I will do is embrace these unmet expectations, learn from them, and come out on the other side (the positive side) of disappointment. What I will do is keep setting my standards high because good enough isn't good enough, and settling for anything less than the best is not my style.
What I will do is glorify God, the only one who can never fail me, the one who blows my mind when I set human expectations for him. What I will do is move forward; "onward and upward!" :)
No one. No one likes to feel that way.
Yet I find myself in this state fairly often. I think my life is going one way, and when the expectation(s) I've set for myself fall through, BAM disappointment. And disappointment is honestly the worst. Career choices, relationships, friends, you name it; disappointment is bound to happen.
The worst thing about unmet expectations is that they come because I can't just be patient; they come because I can't (and I don't) rely on a God who is faithful, who is reliable, who knows what's up and knows what's best. If I'm being honest I'm more on the "don't" side than the "can't" side; that human nature you know?
Unmet expectations get the best of me. I see potential in people and I hold them to a high standard; this standard doesn't get met and I'm disappointed in me for things not turning out the way I want them to. I see potential in a situation or event and I hold it to a high standard; this standard doesn't get met and I'm disappointed in me for not working hard enough or empowering people to do the best they can do.
As I near the end of my college career and start to think of life after Kingswood, I can't help but think I'm setting an expectation far too high for myself of what my life will be like in ministry. I picture myself as doing incredibly amazing things, but what if I land in a church somewhere? Am I actually going to be able to preach well enough to see people's lives changed? And what if I end up on the mission field? Am I actually going to have the skills I think I have already to adapt to a whole new culture and do that well?
Expectations bring disappointment; this is a pattern I have recognized, this is a pattern I have allowed myself to mentally stay in, and this is a pattern I am determined to break.
No I'm not going to hide myself away and hope that will fix things, but what I will do is embrace these unmet expectations, learn from them, and come out on the other side (the positive side) of disappointment. What I will do is keep setting my standards high because good enough isn't good enough, and settling for anything less than the best is not my style.
What I will do is glorify God, the only one who can never fail me, the one who blows my mind when I set human expectations for him. What I will do is move forward; "onward and upward!" :)
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