Unmet Expectations

Unmet expectations. How many of you struggle with this dilemma? Yep. Same. It happens to all of us; we have specific ideas and expectancies of people, of ourselves, and yes, dare we say – God. Sometimes, we expect our spouse or children to act a certain way, and the outcome is not the way we hope—unmet expectations. Particularly our expectations of God and how we think He should work and answer prayer. In my experience with this frustration, I have found that it has nothing to do with what God is not doing, but it has a lot to do with my view of God and how I perceive and know my Lord. When I read about John the Baptist and his time in prison, it would seem he had similar struggles.

In Matthew's gospel, the author accounts for John's baptism imprisonment and the doubt that begins to invade his mind and heart. Before he found himself in jail, John was the one who was crying out in the desert (Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:3), making way for the Messiah. Now, John sends his disciples wondering if Jesus is the promised Messiah. (Matthew 11:3)? Our Lord's response is a reminder of how God is working and the proper view of the Messiah (Isaiah 61:1). John's expectations fell short because his perception of God for a moment was inaccurate. However, he asked questions and sought answers. Christ-followers should do the same in our relationship with God and others. Seek wisdom (James 1:5). 

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