Expectations.

Last night as I was reading, I came across a section of scripture that just made me think about our lives. Recently I've been in a few discussions about why we, as a nation, think we DESERVE things. It's been a conversation that's lasted a few days. Different events have occurred each day that have lead me to remember each day that I don't deserve half of what I have, it is all a blessing.

As I continue my reading through Luke, I read a scripture that covers what I have been thinking about all week long. Here it is, from Luke 6: 27-36:

²⁷"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

I have always paid close attention to the beginning of this section- love your enemies, bless those who curse you, turn the other cheek.... It was the end of this section that really rattled my mind a little bit. Verse 35 says "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them WITHOUT expecting to get anything back." This got me thinking. How many times have I done something with the intention of getting something in return?? For me, that's where the trouble sets in. Although this scripture is written as a way to help guide us to loving our enemies, this scripture can be used in the context of your whole life!

I will be the first to admit that I have always struggled with doing things for people because I wanted them to do something for me in return. And when that wasn't reciprocated, it turned into the most horrible fight or feelings of disappointment...but they didn't know I did it to get something back. I had to start examining my true intentions. Was I doing something for someone because I genuinely wanted to love on them or was it to get a reaction or something in return? And what expectations did I have for them?

When you live in the mindset that you deserve this or that, or it's the least he or she can do for me, we tend to forget the small blessings that occur daily. We live in a world that tells us it's ok to want things, that we deserve things and that those are normal feelings to have. We honestly forget, I honestly forget, that we have everything that we need...not want. Matthew 6:8 says "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask." Everything we have has been provided by the Lord- friends, family, food, shelter, clothes, shoes, water, work, money, etc. When you begin to live in that mindset, your expectations for people are overshadowed by your joy for what the Lord has provided. It makes a huge difference in your life when you treat others without expectations, when you genuinely care and love them because that is what we have been called to do!

Thank you for continuing to read this blog and for taking this journey with me as I prepare for what the Lord has planned! :)

Cast your nets into the sea....

Hey! I am so sorry for slacking off on my blog. It wasn't designed just for my trip to Africa, and I promise to get better. With the fall starting I'll have a routine and this will be included in my mornings! With that being said, I've starting reading the gospels in order. I had to overcome a bit of pride to realize that I had never done it before, or read all of them in their entirety, but after going on a mission trip I wanted to focus on what Jesus did while he was on earth; and, the best way to do that is to read the accounts from that time. It's been hard because they are all so similar, but today as I was reading Luke the Lord opened my eyes to a particular story.

Luke 5:1-11 is the story of Jesus's first disciples. It's such a cool story and we can all relate to it! Here it is:

^"One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him."

I bolded verses 5 & 6, which really stood out to me. I immediately thought about my preparation to Africa, things that are going on in our own lives, my friends lives, my family members lives, and just something we struggle with all the time... control. We take control and sometimes have a hard time letting God take over, especially when we are at our weakest. For some reason our flesh overwhelms us and we think things like, obviously God had this planned for me, or Why did this happen, or if I can't fix it no one can, or I must really deserve something like this to happen... I think at some point we have all thought that. It's almost our first reaction to things. In the first half of the scripture, Simon says, But I've already tried it didn't work out so well.... But the key is the last part of verse 5. Simon says, "But because YOU say so, I will let down the nets." This is sometimes where I KNOW I lose focus. Lord, I trust in you, you have a plan, but let me keep trying to fix this myself in hopes it will get better, right?!

We have a hard time letting things go because we somehow have been made to feel weak or not worthy, but scripture says otherwise. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says,

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

In Luke, you see Simon cast out his net at Jesus's request, after a full night of fishing, and he pulls up enough fish to almost sink 2 boats! Can you imagine!? This is like my trip to Africa. After 5 months of trying on my own, it wasn't working out. When I finally gave it over to the Lord, to fulfill his perfect timing, my trip was put together in 2 weeks! Can you imagine how the Lord would provide if we just let him? It really is hard going through life trying to provide all of our own needs, but do we actually know what we need, when we need it? The Lord does, no matter what.

In verse 10 Jesus says to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." He had a purpose for using Simon's boat that day, and what an example Simon's faith was used as. James and John were also able to see how the Lord provided and used this situation to call them to be disciples. This would have ended differently if Simon took the approach we all tend to take and postponed trusting in the Lord until he had another shot at fixing it himself.

I want to encourage you today, whatever it is that you are trying to control, give it to God. He will provide your every need. Verse 11 says it best. The men pulled their boats ashore and followed Jesus. Lay down your burdens, trust in the Lord, and follow him...he knows our needs! Praise the Lord!