Words Of Encouragement To Start The Day ( Monday 11/17/08)

The End Product Of Unreal Expectations...

Psalm 146:3-4 (Amplified Bible)
3) Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4) When his breath leaves him, he returns to his earth; in that very day his [previous] thoughts, plans, and purposes perish.

I remember more than one occasion in my life, where I have given away my loyalty, confidence and more importantly my heart to individuals that did not value me as I valued them. It always seemed to be that I expected them to be to me what I was to them, whether it was loyal, understanding, long suffering, patient, understanding or loving, I seldom seemed to get back what I put out. I have had occasion to reflect and think about these times only to conclude that it was my unreal expectations that caused my own annihilation. I had placed upon these people the expectation that they would love me and care for me in the same manner in which I had done for them. That the level of respect that I exhibited for them, would be what I would receive in return, but I arrived to a point, only to find that more often than not, these individuals did not see me in the same manner in which I saw them. Which left me hurt and in most cases broken.

How wonderful it is to find a harmonious voice within that confirms and loves us as we love. But it is a difficult task to find in the confounds of humanism. It is only found in the heart of our Heavenly Father. He can love us like no man can, he can care for us better than we care for others or for our selves. We never have to worry about being disappointed by Him, because He knows what we have need of before we do, and He values us because we are His children and His creation. When we heap expectations upon flesh, they are bound to disappoint us and to let us down, to misunderstand us or take us wrong, because in the realm of flesh there is imperfection and tainted perception. We can not receive perfect harmony and perfection from the imperfect. It is our job to rely on God and abide with people. If we abide with people without expecting them to be our savior, or our source we will avoid disappointment more times than not.

It is time to look around and really see people for who they are and what they are and are not capable of. Learn to abide with them and trust and rely on God, with this balance we will stay settled in heart and in mind. It is when we lean and depend on God and not on man that we are not side swiped by people's actions and behaviors, because we can see the frailty that exist in all of us and we know that God upholds us and not people.