In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my
requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 5:3
Expectation is different than arrogance. Embedded in expectation is humility that does not exist in arrogance. To be in expectation is to long for something in a way that cultivates our dependence on God. To be in arrogance is to talk about something as though it has already happened in a way that is self-promoting. Arrogance boasts a self-dependence that inverts God's order, placing us rather than Him in charge. The differences might be subtle to describe but are very evident in person. Have you ever been around someone who lives in expectation? It's contagious and compelling. Conversely, what about an arrogant person? It's repulsive. Expectation is the space in which we not only wait but out of which God lifts up new things. So consider these four thoughts:
1. We need a sacred time of the day.
Each of us have a sweet-spot of the day. It's the morning for some and midnight for others - or anytime in between. The time of the day is not as important as the use of that time. For our psalmist it was in the morning. He tells us twice in one short verse that his conversations with God occurred in the morning. No one will preserve your sacred time for you. It is up to you to protect it from being highjacked. This important decision transforms how we expect in two ways. First, expectation is energized during our sacred times. We should expect nothing less than fatigue and fog from a life that chronically neglects a sacred time of the day. And secondly, it keeps us primarily influenced by God's Will instead of our delusional fantasies. Sacred times help us to consistently differentiate those two.
2. Expectation flows out of our conversations with God.
There is a direct link between what we are asking for and what we are expecting. Expectations will never exceed requests. Maybe your expectation problem is actually an asking problem? Our conversations with God reveal the true longings of our heart. When was the last time you tracked your conversations with God? Do they need revising? Are your expectations small because you are not asking God for anything big? Asking God for something big, that is not connected to personal or material gain, is becoming a lost practice. Our prayers tend to be narcissistic placing ourselves as the sole beneficiaries. But what should we really be asking the big, living God who is the Savior of all people (1 Timothy 4:10)? How you answer that question will dramatically shape your capacity and level of expectation.
3. Wait time is not wasted time.
I have written and spoken much about waiting over the years. It's an important theme personally because it's a weakness. I hate to wait and probably you do as well. Our culture is doing everything it can to eliminate waiting from the human experience. Speed is the mission of the day as we seek to make life and information happen quicker. But there is something fundamentally unnatural and flawed in a life void of waiting. It erodes a dimension of our existence that is essential for being human. Namely, that we were created to flourish and develop slowly not quickly - at a pace that is holistically beneficial. It's odd to me that we struggle so much with waiting given it is such a necessary part of life. Our Psalmist seems as content to wait in expectation as he is knowing that the Lord hears [his] voice. Waiting can become as instinctive as asking.
4. Wait in expectation not obligation.
"I guess we just have to wait," is a common phrase that comes out of my mouth. When I or you speak like that we are communicating obligation not expectation. I have noticed a significant difference in my disposition when I change the phrase to "I get to wait." This might sound like nothing more than mental gymnastics. It can feel that way at first. But a true difference emerges when we push past it. The initial awkwardness gives way to change. Waiting in expectation produces something in us that can only come from waiting. There are no shortcuts are alternatives for getting it. We cannot get it by reading a book or downloading an app or attending another conference. We must receive waiting as an appointed time by God for our benefit and growth.
Ex nihilo,
R.J. Rhoden
3. Wait time is not wasted time.
I have written and spoken much about waiting over the years. It's an important theme personally because it's a weakness. I hate to wait and probably you do as well. Our culture is doing everything it can to eliminate waiting from the human experience. Speed is the mission of the day as we seek to make life and information happen quicker. But there is something fundamentally unnatural and flawed in a life void of waiting. It erodes a dimension of our existence that is essential for being human. Namely, that we were created to flourish and develop slowly not quickly - at a pace that is holistically beneficial. It's odd to me that we struggle so much with waiting given it is such a necessary part of life. Our Psalmist seems as content to wait in expectation as he is knowing that the Lord hears [his] voice. Waiting can become as instinctive as asking.
4. Wait in expectation not obligation.
"I guess we just have to wait," is a common phrase that comes out of my mouth. When I or you speak like that we are communicating obligation not expectation. I have noticed a significant difference in my disposition when I change the phrase to "I get to wait." This might sound like nothing more than mental gymnastics. It can feel that way at first. But a true difference emerges when we push past it. The initial awkwardness gives way to change. Waiting in expectation produces something in us that can only come from waiting. There are no shortcuts are alternatives for getting it. We cannot get it by reading a book or downloading an app or attending another conference. We must receive waiting as an appointed time by God for our benefit and growth.
Ex nihilo,
R.J. Rhoden
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