The modern world pulsates to the chaotic cadence of expectations. You would have to be living under a rock not to notice how capitalism drives every aspect of this month leading up to Valentine's Day. Most people are blindsided by the expectations that are imposed on them; new relationships are strained, and bank accounts are depleted IN THE NAME OF LOVE. Great expectations can be our downfall when they are misguided. Reality can cause the compass to spin wildly when our sense of direction is based on expectations alone. Perhaps there should be a new holiday in March to recover from February's disillusionment.
Sometimes we invest the very best of ourselves with no return because human beings WILL disappoint us. Relentless advertising campaigns remind us that singlehood is often viewed as a plague instead of a blessing. Engagement rings have become something obligatory instead of precious. The constant pressure of expectations does not create diamonds--it simply crushes people, often leading to depression, or even suicide. A very public figure in Christian marriage ministry recently announced that she had filed for divorce. Real people with real problems stand on every single pedestal; WE ALL NEED JESUS.
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that expectations mean nothing. Our pain has been prolonged and new variants have proven that expectations and reality make strange bedfellows. Teachers breathed a sigh of relief when numbers trended downward only to pivot when expectations changed. The landscape of dating expectations has changed as vaccination status became a new deal-breaker and online interactions replaced reservations for two. Inflation has eaten the fruits of our hard work. Many of us have shifted into pessimistic patterns, rejecting optimism as the foolish relic of pre-pandemic times.
As we enter the month of love, Omicron is the harbinger that dulls the senses and causes us to question the love of God. Perhaps you have unmet financial expectations, or the American Dream evaded you when real estate prices soared high above your reach. Or you had a vision of good health and then you were sucker punched by COVID. There is no frame of reference for such a protracted storm, so we must set our expectations based on God's Word instead of our flawed points of reference. His love is stable and will keep you on solid ground. The words of this old hymn remind us that Jesus is never going to be the weak link!
My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame But wholly lean on Jesus' name
On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand
Great expectations can lead down a lonely path of arguments and frustration, especially for perfectionists. (Ouch) These well-meaning, idealistic and misguided souls can give their partners and friends a run for their money, but the Lord isn't the least bit intimidated--in fact, He welcomes our high expectations. Faith in God moves mountains! During my college years, I wrote a Valentine's Day poem that began with, "I'm in love with an older Jewish man, a carpenter by trade. He ALWAYS listens when I talk. His interest never fades..." and the message still resonates today. Jesus Christ is the ultimate partner, and I am His bride.
Avoid the trap of expectations this month. Each holiday blurs into the next with no time to gasp for a restorative breath. Social media posts are littered with exotic trips, diamonds, roses, engagements and "perfect moments." Consider this irony: Humble. Disrespected. Rulebreaker. Unattractive. Single. Our King was rejected because of incorrect culturally embedded expectations. Wrong perceptions lead to wrong reactions. They kept looking for another, peering through the peephole and staring far into the distance when destiny was knocking on the door in the form of a simple and unconventional prophet from Bethlehem.
Proverbs 13:12 (NLT) Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
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