Expectations

**Sit quietly, eyes closed in silence for one minute before reading.**

    Expectations. We all have them. Some realistic and others not very. I find myself taking my expectations into my relationship with God and at times my frustration with Him is based on whether He has met a desire or request in the way I expected Him to. Sometimes I base whether He cares or not on whether He responds like I expect Him to. (Not a good idea, I know.)

    So as I was exploring these things I found myself reminded that God often (maybe always) does not show up how or where I expect him to. And sometimes I am frustrated with him because he has not shown up where I expected. And…he is showing up but I just can’t see him because I am so focused on him showing up a certain way (much like many during Jesus’ time on earth).

    So I found myself asking God to be able to see him wherever and however and not necessarily in the expected pictures I had painted. Very strongly he spoke to my heart saying, “I’m in your kids”. This was followed by a time of rich (and good) weeping. Even now as I write this I find myself tearing up. God is showing up through my children. Not the picture(s) I had but it is his picture and it is rich and beautiful and I am grateful.

    How has God richly surprised you by not meeting an expectation?

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Surprises

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

    I’m not much of one for surprises. My husband can tell you that. I figured out some of his surprise proposal plans before he even began to put the plan into place! I am pretty difficult to surprise yet God often surprises me. He surprises me with His grace, with His kindness and with plans that I could never have dreamed of. His surprises are sweet gifts.
    I was recently reading a book in which the author said this as she observed the life of Jesus: “No one is ever prepared for what Jesus will do”. It is true, none of us is prepared and we cannot be. Jesus is the master of surprises. For Jesus, I am not difficult to surprise at all. I love that (although sometimes I do wish I could get a peek at His plans!)
    How has God surprised you lately? What has Jesus done that you were not prepared for? How does this encourage you to trust God more and more?

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Have more than two minutes? Read and meditate on the truth in Ephesians 3:20-21