Great Expectations: Expecting God to do SOMETHING

May 18, 2014

Great Expectations: Expecting God to do SOMETHING

Wow.

Today's word at church was right on time. I'm still trying to process it all. The preacher said God told him to build the people's faith. Mission accomplished. The message combined with a powerful time of prayer with a sister had me ready to run out of the building by the time service was over, I was so stirred up.

If I can just summarize the preacher said: God is going to SOMETHING in my life. The expectation is for God to do SOMETHING.

We aren't to dictate to God what we want him to do or try to label it because then we limit it. We are just to expect for him to do SOMETHING.

June 30, 2013

On the morning of June 30, 2013 I woke up with great expectation. I had no idea what it was but I knew SOMETHING was going to happen. I expected God to do something incredible that day. I didn't label it and say "God I am going to fall out in church and this and that are going to happen". I just had this expectation that SOMETHING was going to happen and it most certainly did.

To this day I'm not completely sure why my course changed that day. I just know that it did. I EXPECTED a mighty move of God and I did not bother labeling it.

I think this is what the preacher means. We've got to live with that expectation that God is going to do SOMETHING even when we don't know what it is or even can explain it, but we know that SOMETHING is going to happen.

Faith Expects God to Show up

The preacher said that Impossibility sets the stage for God to show up.

I mean that seems like a "Duh!" moment, but I know we don't think that way. OK I know I don't think that way. When things look bleak, like nothing is going to happen, and that it's too late I start trying to figure things out and end up discouraged and in despair.

BUT

Isn't that what Faith is for? Faith is for impossible situations because if I could do it all on my own I wouldn't need the supernatural help. Faith EXPECTS God to show up when things are going down the drain.

I had a situation this past week when I had about $10 in my bank account and I had bills to pay. I did think "Oh no...what am I going to do?" but then I kind of forgot about it. The next day my client said "Well let me pay you for more sessions" and it was WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH to cover my bills and then some.

As people of faith we must live in EXPECTATION that God will take care of us otherwise then what is the point? Why would people listen to a group that doesn't expect anything good to happen or for God to rescue them? Why would you even want to be a part of something like that? We must put our trust in him with the EXPECTATION that he will work it out for our good.

I keep saying this but one of the things that bugs me about American Christianity is that we play it safe so we don't even give God a chance to show up. When I listen to old timers talk, they tell these stories of praying when there was no food on the table and then someone shows up with a bag of groceries. What if we took bold steps of faith EXPECTING God to show up.

I am EXPECTING God to do something in my life. He has already started and I am EXPECTING more. Mind blowing and amazeball stuff. Stuff that I will never shut up and stop testifying about. I will be all over the place sharing my testimony

"Something" No labels and No limits

Now this is where I get into trouble. I like everything to be clear cut and dry. I like to know what's going on and exactly what it is, but the preacher made this point very clearly and it resonated loud and clear with me.

You don't label what God is going to do because you're going to limit it.

Our plans are short sighted and fit our mood for right now. God knows the whole story and I don't. Not to mention the fact that oftentimes my plans come from emotion and not what's best for me. All I need to do is look on Facebook and see that what I thought was rejection was really protection.

No Dictating prayers

I have learned my lesson on this one. We don't need to dictate to God about what he is going to do. Oh Lord I know you're going to bless me with a husband in 6 months who looks like The Rock and Lord I just know that you are going to give me a new job and house next week.

This is not faith nor is it expectation. We're telling God what He should do and in what timeframe. We have no clue about what God's will is nor do we care. We care about our own agenda and time limits. We are stuck on these small minded plans and God has a much bigger vision.

Right now the prayer of my heart is for God to continue to do whatever it is He is going to do. I don't know what it is, but I know it is going to be SOMETHING and that SOMETHING is going to be exceedingly and abundantly more than I could think or imagine.

Labeling and Limiting

The preacher advised us not to label what God is going to do because then we will limit it.

As a cut and dry linear thinker this is tough for me to come to terms with, but I understand why. When you label things and nothing is happening that's when discouragement sets in because you're walking by sight.

For instance as a single woman if all I pray for is a husband and there is no man in sight, then I'm going to get discouraged because my head and logic is telling me that this is all a waste of time and ain't nothing going on and ain't nothing gonna happen.

But what if I came at the situation differently? What if I said "God I don't know what you're going to do, but I expect you to do SOMETHING. I'm expecting SOMETHING to happen." I'm walking by faith then because I'm looking for God to show up at every turn. It's harder to be disappointed living like that because there's always something happening that you can give God praise for.

I'm all in on this way of thinking. I told y'all I quit praying for a husband because I expect God to do SOMETHING and in his own time.