Expectations: less than mediocre.

God’s been teaching me a lot lately about living well. So much of the things I have pondered and stored up in my heart haven’t been the “right” kind of things. Some have been good – like the things Mary stored up in her heart. (I love that scripture.) But some have set me up for heartache.

And since I am learning how to heal and how to live from that healing, I want to do better. I want to be aware of the things that enter my mind and heart only to set me up for disappointment and I want to cut them off at their evil source. Often, this begins with expectations.

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Some time ago, I was about to enter a situation I was certain would be uncomfortable. At first, I didn’t even realize I’d been stressing about it but when I really listened to my thoughts,  I began to see what was happening. I was worried this situation would be surrounded by negativity and would bring me down to a not-so-thankful state of mind.

And then it occurred to me…

Uhm…hello Jessica? Pray about it. God is already there. Just pray you will be open to receive all the GOOD He has waiting there for you in that moment.

And so I did.

And so I entered that situation with a MUCH more positive attitude.

And so I walked away from said situation with a boatload of blessings.

Isn’t that interesting?

This really got me thinking! How many times have I walked into a situation with a less-than-mediocre expectation of anything good? How many times have I even indirectly influenced that situation with my bad attitude??? Yikes.

That’s not how I want to live!

Our loving Father has soooooo many good things in store for us and receiving them usually just begins with an attitude adjustment. Scripture says there is nowhere you can go where you cannot find the presence of the Lord…

If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. (Psalm 139:8)

If we can find Him at all times, in the midst of His beloved, why would we for a single moment doubt the good He has waiting in whatever place we will stand? If He is there, good can be found. And certainly no situation we find ourselves in could ever be as bad as Sheol!!

I just want to encourage you with that today; to go into your day with great expectations and a prayer that you will always be open to receive the gifts He has for you along the way. You will most certainly be delighted and probably very pleasantly surprised if you do. I have often found that to be the case.

I love our God of surprises. His heart is ever for His people and if we could just remember that,

we might find our joy thriving independently of the people, places and things surrounding us. When a joy like that takes root, we become lights that can burn brightly into the gloomiest of situations.

Thanks be to God!