Unexpected
Hey, y'all! Jesse and Marissa here once again! We're coming to y'all this week fresh off of a 5-day vacation. Well, what should've been a vacation. It ended up turning into trying to catch up on chores and running errands. We honestly thought we were going to just chill and relax. Watch Netflix all day and eat pizza. Now we're back to work, without the recharge we were aiming for. Clearly, the change of plans was unexpected, but ultimately it was good. Although we were tired, it was nice getting home to a clean house after a long Monday at work. Not the break we wanted but certainly the one we needed!
In the message this week, Pastor Dre and Pastor Shawn talk about managing expectations. Our expectations of Jesus and the people in our lives. Maybe there's been a time in your life where you had an idea of how a person would be there for you, and they didn't meet those expectations. I'm sure we have all experienced moments of sadness where we just knew our best friend, sibling, mom, or dad would be the one to fix it, but for some reason, they were nowhere to be found. Maybe they were too busy or got their phone taken away, so they didn't even know something was going on. To you, they were just ignoring you or just didn't care.
Our first thought is usually "that's not fair" or "why is this happening to me" if only it were this way instead of that way. What we have to realize is that our expectations don't match everyone else's actions. Just because you want someone to be there for you as soon as you need it doesn't mean they'll be there. It also doesn't necessarily mean that those people don't care or want what's good for you. Same with God. Just because you asked God for something or prayed to him doesn't mean he's going to answer the way you want. The times where we feel God may be ignoring us are actually the times he's listening to us the most. Answering your prayer his way, the only way.
Think back to some things you've prayed for that didn't happen. That boyfriend/girlfriend you wanted so bad, the job you had your heart set on, the chance to go to that party. Now think of what God DID give you and what he spared you from! He gave you what you needed, and don't you agree that it's so much better than what you thought you wanted?! His timing is so perfect. I challenge you to blindly trust Him this week just how we fully trust that our chair won't give out on us. Ask yourself if your desires are lining up with God's word. If they're not, purge those desires through prayer and trust that you may be let down when things don't go the way you planned, but God will always do what's best for you, even if it's hard.
We love you and are praying with you!
Jesse and Marissa
