What are you expecting?

One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 18:21. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it will eat the fruit thereof.” Yep, King James Version! I have to use this verse whenever I find myself speaking negatively about my situation or circumstances. It calls me back to order. But this morning, the Lord used it to speak to me about expectancy. The meaning of the verse is pretty simple. I think the Message translates it in a way that everyone can understand. “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” So as I was sitting outside this morning, the Lord encouraged me to look at it again. He asked a simple question – What are you expecting? I started to answer quickly and then I paused. Oh. You see, I’ll just be honest with you. Recently I’ve been asking the Lord about a lot of situations and circumstances in my life. Asking Him why they are lasting so long and when they will be over. I have had moments of disappointment, frustration, and even a little anger. But when He asked that question and reminded me of that scripture, I realized that I needed to get my expectancy back. You see that scripture is all about expectation being fulfilled. If I speak death, I can expect the fruit to be death. If I speak life, I can expect the fruit to be life. I need to expect God to move. I need to expect Him to answer. I need to expect Him to do what He promised. Are you still expecting?

God still amazes me in how He works. This morning, I couldn’t hear a thing but He led me outside and instructed me to just sit and wait. Did you get that? Not just wait but wait with the expectation that He was going to give me a word. So I did and as I was sitting there, He gave me Romans 8:18 – 25 and Paul took me right on in!  “That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.  All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” (MSG) Does it get any better than that? We are not diminished in the waiting! Wooooo… What you are going through right now is not your end because there is greater coming. There is a future day that you are being prepared for but you must wait with the expectation that the better is coming.

 So let me say this. If you are stuck in depression and discomfort because your situation seems impossible or your life has not turned out the way you wanted it to, ask yourself what you are expecting. Have you allowed your circumstances to rob you of your expectancy in a God that does what He promises? Have you allowed your anger to steal your hope that change is coming? Because that’s what expectation is…HOPE! Psalm 62: 5 -8 says it this way. “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” (NLT) It’s time to remember where your hope lies. It’s time to turn your attention away from what people have said or done to you and put it back where it belongs…on your Rock and Refuge. You see, the enemy wins when you have no hope or expectation in God. Because when you are in that place you aren’t anchored to anything. You are just existing and not living. But when you are expecting, you are holding on to the promise. You are hooked up to God, waiting on Him to move.

So there it is, what are you expecting God to do? What are you waiting quietly for Him to do in you, for you, with you? Be honest with yourself and God because He already knows. If you are struggling with an answer to those questions, I encourage you to set aside some quiet time to get in God’s presence and ask Him to renew, restore and revive your connection and your spirit. He will do it, you just have to be open to receive it! Here’s to the revival of your expectation!  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom 15:13 ESV) AMEN