What Do You Expect?

Have you ever been disappointed? Let down? Have you ever disappointed someone? I’m sure if you’ve lived life not under a rock then you have been disappointed a time or two. Many of us have what I like to call “non-negotiables”. These are things that we expect to have in the car we drive, the house we’ll buy, the business we want to start, our spouse. It is not unrealistic that we will have expectations in our lives; it is unrealistic when we expect others to meet our expectations. Maybe you’re like me. I like to do this way far too often:

I come home from a long day at work and my husband is sitting on the couch. I don’t mind this at first, not until I see that none of the bills were mailed today, the dishes are piled in the sink, and upon further observation he clearly hasn’t even showered today. First, I am disappointed that he has chosen to just waste the day, and then quickly I make the gigantic leap into anger almost interchangeably. It’s as if my rights have been violated. All I expected him to do was just a little something productive with his day, is that too much to ask? I’m not sure that it is. The problem is this: all fairness to him, I never even told him that I expected that. I quickly learned that if you want people to come through for what you want, need, or expect, then you must voice that, knowing still that you may be let down.

When you expect others to do something and they don't do it, or even that they don't do the thing to your standards, you will be let down and that will build resentment and bitterness, which leads to unforgiveness. It’s been said that “holding on to bitterness or resentment is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die.” Have you ever held unforgiveness in your heart? If you have, then you understand the truth of this old saying. Bitterness is not only figuratively like drinking poison, but it is known to be extremely harmful to one’s health, even cancerous. Isn’t it always the worst when you finally are ready to tell a person that you forgive them, maybe even after many years and all they can say is, “Really? That bothered you? Huh, I had forgotten all about that!” It makes my blood boil even to write that now, imagining all of the times that the like has happened to me. When we put expectations on imperfect, mortal human beings, we will end up disappointed.

I have learned that if you let go of it, it will let go of you.  Have you had expectations for others, or even for God? What are you holding on to that really has its hold on you? Luke 6:37 Ephesians 4:31-32

-Krystal is a blogger for The Daily Vine. Check out her bio to see where her view comes from.