What Do You Expect?

I've been thinking about this question lately.  I'm wondering if what we expect out of life and what we expect from other really matters?  I believe it does, but see what you think.

My husband and I have a "game" we play.  It has to do with getting good parking places, getting quick check-out lines at Walmart, and things like that.  I always expect to good parking places and quick check-out lines.  He always expects to get the farthest parking places and the slowest checkout lines.  And, guess what?   We usually both get what we expect!  So, does my positive attitude have anything to do with it?  Does God allow me to get those "good" things, but allow my husband the opposite?  Maybe so.  Maybe there is something to expecting the best.  Maybe God blesses our positive attitudes.  Maybe God tries to teach us lessons in our negative attitudes....or our impatient attitudes.  Of course, since these examples are to my advantage I like those things.  If it were not in my favor, I probably won't like them, would I?!

So, what do you expect from your behavior?  What do expect to tempt you?  Do you expect that someone will make you mad today?  Do you expect someone to cross you today?  Do you expect for someone to offend you today?  Do you expect to make a poor decision today?  Do you expect to waste time today?

With each of these questions, we have the choice to react in a certain way.  The way we choose to react is the way that our expectations will either be proven true or false.  It's up to us.

Now, think about your children.  What do you expect from them?  Do you expect them to obey you - as a parent?  Do you expect them to respect you?  Do you expect them to throw a fit?  Do you have high expectations from them or do you have low expectations?  I tend to think, that no matter which we expect from them - to a large extent - we will get from them.  

Can our expectations be unrealistic?  Sure.  There is always the possibility that we can have unattainable goals, unrealistic expectations.  I can expect to be small and petite all of my life, but it will never happen.  I can lose weight and become extremely thin, but I can never be small and petite.  That's not how God made me.  I can expect to be 30 years old again, but it's not going to happen.  Those things are unrealistic and will never happen.  But, I can expect to find someone to serve in some way today and I believe I will have that opportunity today.  I can expect to find time alone to be with God today and because of that expectation, I will make that time available in my schedule.

So, what do you think?  What are your thoughts on our expectations?  Do you believe God blesses us in our positive attitudes?  Do you believe that He tries to teach us lessons in our negative attitudes?  I look forward to hearing from you!

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12