What do we expect?
Nov 17th, 2008 by Gordon
The words ‘faith’ and ‘belief’ have been so overused in spiritual discussions that they have lost their meaning to most people. Jesus said, “According to your faith it shall be done unto you.“ The word translated ‘faith’ in our English versions of the scriptures comes from the word pistis, which means ‘faith.’ That’s no help.
Expectation may be a better word to help us understand these concepts of faith or belief. “What you EXPECT is what you will experience” becomes the meaning of Jesus’ statement above. This idea not only makes sense to my finite understanding, but it is proven by our experience. We see it all the time:
Someone EXPECTS to be diagnosed with a particular illness because they have ‘believed’ that it runs in their family genes. And sure enough, what they have been expecting eventually manifests.
Someone EXPECTS their day to ‘be a disaster’ and anticipates all sorts of chaos and stress. Sure enough, they experience a traffic jam, canceled flight, interruptions, holdups, etc……
What we EXPECT is exactly what we will experience. Or, we ARE experiencing exactly what we are EXPECTING. Our ‘faith’ is working very well, and we ARE receiving what we ‘believe’ or are expecting.
This truth rocked my world a few years ago when I first heard it expressed this way: ‘Your life experience right now is the result of what you believe (or expect).” So, if I am sick, poor or depressed, I have essentially gotten exactly what I have been expecting. That’s a tough pill to swallow in our victim-minded society where we have been taught to blame our sorry experience on everyone else but me. Christians are even taught to blame God for their pathetic life, because “He is in control.” On it goes, convincing us to refuse responsibility for our own experience.
This truth is not some new idea. Man was made in the likeness and image of his Creator from the beginning, and therefore has the power to be a creator of his own ‘world’ or personal experience. Man was also given dominion or authority over what comes into his life. But, our material-scientific education (and religion) has told us that we have no control over what the world or life throws at us. We are told that we are helpless victims of chance, fate, or even God. Therefore, we continue to be tossed about by life and try our best to avoid the potholes, all the while expecting something will come at us that we have no control over. So, we accept anything that comes along as a valid result of life on planet earth.
Wouldn’t it be cruel of our Creator to put us on this planet as victims of it’s whims, with no control or power over our own life? To toss us onto this spinning planet, intending for us to use all our energy just to keep from being flung off of it? What sadistic God would subject man - the supreme object of His creation - to a powerless life of suffering and struggling just to survive the experience? That isn’t love.
You may argue that you never invited the adverse situation or problem into your life. But, you can know what you are expecting by examining your own words and actions. Like most people, you probably ‘believe’ that God has the power and ability to heal any disease, especially the common cold. But, what do you do when you ‘catch’ a cold? You first go to the pharmacy and get a cold medicine; and if the cold persists, you may go to a Doctor. Therefore, your actions deny any theology you may have been taught about God’s ability to heal. Your actions prove that you EXPECT medicine to heal you, but you clearly don’t EXPECT God to do it. (Nor do you EXPECT to be healthy and never even get a cold! Our society has taught us that we are helpless against germs and viruses, and are therefore victims of their ‘attacks’ on our body. So, we EXPECT to get sick sooner or later.)
You see, what we THINK we believe - about God or life, or our world - is not necessarily what we actually believe in our soul. What we believe in our soul/spirit is what we are experiencing. Our true beliefs will dictate what we EXPECT as we journey through our life. And, because of the creative dominion power we have been given as humans, we WILL experience exactly what we EXPECT to experience. You can take that to the bank! So, if you must believe that God is in control, understand that God has put that control in YOUR hands (or more specifically, in your thoughts). You really are “the captain of your own ship; the master of your own fate.”
So, it’s time to quit using excuses and blaming our circumstances on everyone and everything else from parents to God. It’s time to accept the (scientific) fact that we are the creators of our own experience - our own life - and embrace new expectations. Good expectations. For if we view the world as hostile, we will then expect it to turn on us and send suffering and struggle our way. But, if we view the world as beautiful - ‘Very good’ according to God’s own declaration - we will begin to expect better from it and we will then experience a better life. Expect the Abundant Life that God created and intended for us to experience, and that Jesus came to give to us.
Don’t wait until you die to experience Heaven. EXPECT it now, because the Kingdom of Heaven is right here, right now, available to you. “My Father has chosen gladly to give you the Kingdom“ is the main message that Jesus taught to those ‘who have an ear to hear and eyes to see.’ Open your eyes and EXPECT all the best that God has created for you and all that He has created you for. Don’t EXPECT anything less.
Get yours today!