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I don’t know about you, but one of the most frustrating things about this time of year for me is how Mother Nature teases us into thinking it’s spring by blessing us with warm sunny days, just to proceed to send snow shortly thereafter. One moment you’re basking in the sun on a sunny, warm spring day; the next moment, a snow flurry lands on your nose.
The more I thought about how this type of weather frustrates me, the more I realized that the weather isn’t at fault. Rather, I, and my expectations, are at fault.
My expectations for the world around me are often full of hope, but they can also leave me feeling disappointed when things don’t go my way. Instead of taking time to enjoy the season I am in, I’ll wish for the next season to come long before it is ready to—and maybe even before I am truly ready for it to come.
Expectations are the silent killers of our hope for the future. When we expect—or assume—that something will happen, of course we are going to be disappointed when it doesn’t. If we only expected things to go the way we liked every once in a while, it wouldn’t be an issue. Yet more often than not, we expect things that are simply unfeasible every single day. By expecting so much out of the world around us, we can ensnare ourselves in our own traps.
The next time you find yourself feeling disappointed, ask yourself if the disappointment that you feel is truly warranted. Sometimes our disappointment is a lie rooted in truth. But even a lie that is rooted in truth is still a lie. All plants have roots, but not all plants produce the same fruit.
Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God
Psalm 31:4-5 NLT
Yeah man! We create so many of disappointments. Sometimes we expect too much or different results.