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Proverbs 4:23 (Common English Bible)
“More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.”
A few nights ago I was prepping myself for what I was about to walk into. It was a gathering of sort and every time I’m in contact with these peeps I have this expectation of how I think it would go. Yet I walk away every time sinking further down the tube because no one lived up to what was in my mind. I have this assumption of how they will treat me, how they will show their love, and the list goes on. But that evening I did something different, I really REALLY prayed and focused on having no expectations. I need to protect my mind and heart. I cannot base how I feel upon others treatment toward me. I refuse to give them this power anymore and neither should you! For our worth and expectations of love should be sitting solely in the hands of Jesus. HE is our Daddy! HE is our #1 Cheerleader. HE is our true love.
Now, I may be coming back to you with another devo of…..’Expectation Be Gone, Backfired!” HA! But we are all a work in progress right? The fact that after 30 some years of expecting others to fill or meet a need that Christ should meet, and I now can SEE what I’m doing, is huge! I’ll take it. Baby steps in our healing journey friend.
While we are here, let’s talk about the expectations we have toward ourselves. Yep, this is a big one I know cuz if you are anything like me, we expect 10 times more out of ourselves then anyone else. I need to get more organized, I need to work harder, I need to lose more weight, I need to get more control over my kids, I should learn to love my husband more, I need to take more showers (oh wait, that’s probably just me! :), I should be reading my Bible more, and the list goes on and on doesn’t it? Enter in the God of grace. The God of peace. NOT the God of should’s or should not. NOT the God of fear. NOT the God of judgement. The devil likes to mess with our heads but we have Christ living inside of us. We have his power. The power that rose Him from the grave lives in you. That’s truly mind blowing yet so freeing. We have the power to set aside all expectation and focus our eyes on Him. We have the power to protect our minds. We have the power to silence all lies that we need to be as close to perfect as possible because in his eyes, we are pretty amazeballs. Just say’n!
Make a list of the expectations that you have in those close to you and yourselves. Then write in HUGE LETTERS over top them. NO MORE! I AM HIS! HE LOVES ME! Let Christ be the one to fill your mind and your life will flow with pure joy.
Wounded to Warrior 