{"id":45522,"date":"2021-02-15T20:44:37","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T17:44:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=45522"},"modified":"2025-05-12T01:46:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T22:46:13","slug":"avoid-building-your-own-expectations-around-gods-promises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/02\/15\/avoid-building-your-own-expectations-around-gods-promises\/","title":{"rendered":"AVOID BUILDING YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS AROUND GOD’S PROMISES"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A question <\/span>was <\/span>recently <\/span>asked <\/span>by <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>readers:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Praise <\/span>the <\/span>Lord, <\/span>servant <\/span>of <\/span>God. <\/span>Thank <\/span>you <\/span>for <\/span>your <\/span>work <\/span>in <\/span>ministry. <\/span>I <\/span>wanted <\/span>to <\/span>ask <\/span>about <\/span>John <\/span>the <\/span>Baptist. <\/span>He <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>baptized <\/span>Jesus, <\/span>and <\/span>testified <\/span>that <\/span>he <\/span>saw <\/span>the <\/span>Spirit <\/span>descend <\/span>from <\/span>heaven <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>dove <\/span>and <\/span>remain <\/span>on <\/span>Him. <\/span>God <\/span>Himself <\/span>had <\/span>told <\/span>him, \u2018<\/span>The <\/span>one <\/span>on <\/span>whom <\/span>you <\/span>see <\/span>the <\/span>Spirit <\/span>come <\/span>down <\/span>and <\/span>remain <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>will <\/span>baptize <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit <\/span>and <\/span>fire.\u2019 <\/span>John <\/span>even <\/span>affirmed <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>coming <\/span>after <\/span>him <\/span>was <\/span>greater <\/span>than <\/span>him <\/span>and <\/span>existed <\/span>before <\/span>him. <\/span>So <\/span>why, <\/span>then, <\/span>when <\/span>he <\/span>was <\/span>in <\/span>prison, <\/span>did <\/span>he <\/span>send <\/span>his <\/span>disciples <\/span>to <\/span>ask <\/span>Jesus, \u2018<\/span>Are <\/span>you <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>to <\/span>come, <\/span>or <\/span>should <\/span>we <\/span>expect <\/span>someone <\/span>else?\u2019 (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>11:<\/span>3). <\/span>Did <\/span>he <\/span>begin <\/span>to <\/span>doubt <\/span>what <\/span>he <\/span>had <\/span>previously <\/span>testified?\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Answer:<\/span><\/h3>\n

This <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>thoughtful <\/span>and <\/span>important <\/span>question.<\/span><\/p>\n

It <\/span>is <\/span>human <\/span>nature <\/span>that <\/span>when <\/span>God <\/span>gives <\/span>us <\/span>a <\/span>promise <\/span>or <\/span>revelation, <\/span>we <\/span>often <\/span>begin <\/span>to <\/span>form <\/span>our <\/span>own <\/span>assumptions <\/span>and <\/span>expectations<\/span><\/strong> about <\/span>how<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>when<\/span><\/em> that <\/span>promise <\/span>will <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>pass. <\/span>These <\/span>expectations <\/span>are <\/span>usually <\/span>shaped <\/span>by <\/span>our <\/span>understanding, <\/span>desires, <\/span>or <\/span>even <\/span>cultural <\/span>assumptions\u2014<\/span>not <\/span>necessarily <\/span>by <\/span>God’s <\/span>actual <\/span>plan <\/span>or <\/span>timing.<\/span><\/p>\n

So <\/span>when <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>plan <\/span>unfolds <\/span>differently <\/span>from <\/span>how <\/span>we <\/span>imagined, <\/span>our <\/span>faith <\/span>can <\/span>be <\/span>shaken<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>not <\/span>because <\/span>God <\/span>was <\/span>unfaithful, <\/span>but <\/span>because <\/span>we <\/span>let <\/span>our <\/span>expectations <\/span>overshadow <\/span>His <\/span>truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>seems <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>what <\/span>happened <\/span>to <\/span>John <\/span>the <\/span>Baptist. <\/span>It’s <\/span>not <\/span>that <\/span>John <\/span>stopped <\/span>believing <\/span>what <\/span>he <\/span>had <\/span>seen <\/span>and <\/span>heard. <\/span>He <\/span>was <\/span>absolutely <\/span>convinced <\/span>that <\/span>Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>the <\/span>Messiah. <\/span>In <\/span>John <\/span>1:<\/span>32-<\/span>34 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>John <\/span>says:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>I <\/span>saw <\/span>the <\/span>Spirit <\/span>come <\/span>down <\/span>from <\/span>heaven <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>dove <\/span>and <\/span>remain <\/span>on <\/span>him… <\/span>I <\/span>have <\/span>seen <\/span>and <\/span>I <\/span>testify <\/span>that <\/span>this <\/span>is <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>Chosen <\/span>One.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

John <\/span>had <\/span>divine <\/span>confirmation. <\/span>But <\/span>like <\/span>many <\/span>Jews <\/span>of <\/span>his <\/span>time, <\/span>John <\/span>likely <\/span>expected <\/span>the <\/span>Messiah <\/span>to <\/span>bring <\/span>immediate <\/span>judgment <\/span>and <\/span>political <\/span>deliverance<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>to <\/span>come <\/span>wielding <\/span>a <\/span>winnowing <\/span>fork\u2014<\/span>separating <\/span>the <\/span>wheat <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>chaff, <\/span>gathering <\/span>the <\/span>righteous, <\/span>and <\/span>destroying <\/span>the <\/span>wicked (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>3:<\/span>12<\/span><\/strong>). <\/span>He <\/span>preached <\/span>boldly <\/span>about <\/span>this <\/span>coming <\/span>judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n

But <\/span>what <\/span>he <\/span>witnessed <\/span>instead <\/span>was <\/span>Jesus <\/span>moving <\/span>in <\/span>gentleness <\/span>and <\/span>grace<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>healing <\/span>the <\/span>sick, <\/span>forgiving <\/span>sinners, <\/span>and <\/span>even <\/span>being <\/span>rejected <\/span>by <\/span>many\u2014<\/span>not<\/span><\/strong> leading <\/span>a <\/span>political <\/span>revolution <\/span>or <\/span>executing <\/span>divine <\/span>justice <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>Roman <\/span>oppressors.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, <\/span>when <\/span>John <\/span>found <\/span>himself <\/span>imprisoned <\/span>by <\/span>Herod <\/span>for <\/span>speaking <\/span>the <\/span>truth (<\/span>see <\/span>Matthew <\/span>14:<\/span>3-<\/span>4<\/span><\/strong>), <\/span>and <\/span>Jesus <\/span>had <\/span>not <\/span>yet <\/span>brought <\/span>the <\/span>kind <\/span>of <\/span>kingdom <\/span>he <\/span>expected, <\/span>John’s <\/span>confidence <\/span>was <\/span>tested<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>In <\/span>his <\/span>moment <\/span>of <\/span>isolation <\/span>and <\/span>suffering, <\/span>he <\/span>sent <\/span>his <\/span>disciples <\/span>to <\/span>Jesus <\/span>to <\/span>ask, \u201c<\/span>Are <\/span>you <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>to <\/span>come, <\/span>or <\/span>should <\/span>we <\/span>expect <\/span>someone <\/span>else?\u201d (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>11:<\/span>3<\/span><\/strong>). <\/span>This <\/span>wasn\u2019t <\/span>necessarily <\/span>a <\/span>crisis <\/span>of <\/span>faith, <\/span>but <\/span>a <\/span>longing <\/span>for <\/span>reassurance<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>a <\/span>search <\/span>for <\/span>clarity <\/span>amid <\/span>confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus <\/span>didn\u2019t <\/span>rebuke <\/span>John <\/span>for <\/span>this. <\/span>Instead, <\/span>He <\/span>responded <\/span>by <\/span>pointing <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>evidence <\/span>of <\/span>His <\/span>works:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Go <\/span>back <\/span>and <\/span>report <\/span>to <\/span>John <\/span>what <\/span>you <\/span>hear <\/span>and <\/span>see: <\/span>The <\/span>blind <\/span>receive <\/span>sight, <\/span>the <\/span>lame <\/span>walk, <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>have <\/span>leprosy <\/span>are <\/span>cleansed, <\/span>the <\/span>deaf <\/span>hear, <\/span>the <\/span>dead <\/span>are <\/span>raised, <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>good <\/span>news <\/span>is <\/span>proclaimed <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>poor.\u201d<\/span><\/em> (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>11:<\/span>4\u2013<\/span>5, <\/span>NIV<\/span><\/strong>)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

These <\/span>were <\/span>direct <\/span>fulfillments <\/span>of <\/span>Messianic <\/span>prophecies<\/span><\/strong> like <\/span>Isaiah <\/span>35:<\/span>5-<\/span>6<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>Isaiah <\/span>61:<\/span>1<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>affirming: <\/span>Yes, <\/span>I <\/span>am <\/span>the <\/span>One\u2014<\/span>but <\/span>My <\/span>mission <\/span>is <\/span>unfolding <\/span>according <\/span>to <\/span>God’s <\/span>timing <\/span>and <\/span>purpose, <\/span>not <\/span>human <\/span>expectations.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Application:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Even <\/span>today, <\/span>many <\/span>believers <\/span>face <\/span>the <\/span>same <\/span>temptation <\/span>John <\/span>did: <\/span>We <\/span>receive <\/span>a <\/span>promise <\/span>from <\/span>God <\/span>and <\/span>start <\/span>imagining <\/span>how <\/span>it <\/span>will <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>pass.<\/span><\/strong> Then, <\/span>when <\/span>reality <\/span>unfolds <\/span>differently, <\/span>we <\/span>question <\/span>whether <\/span>we <\/span>really <\/span>heard <\/span>from <\/span>God <\/span>at <\/span>all.<\/span><\/p>\n

For <\/span>example, <\/span>a <\/span>woman <\/span>might <\/span>receive <\/span>a <\/span>prophetic <\/span>word <\/span>that <\/span>she <\/span>will <\/span>have <\/span>three <\/span>children <\/span>within <\/span>five <\/span>years. <\/span>Instead <\/span>of <\/span>simply <\/span>trusting <\/span>God’s <\/span>faithfulness, <\/span>she <\/span>might <\/span>begin <\/span>to <\/span>calculate: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>I’ll <\/span>have <\/span>the <\/span>first <\/span>in <\/span>year <\/span>one, <\/span>the <\/span>second <\/span>in <\/span>year <\/span>three, <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>last <\/span>in <\/span>year <\/span>five.\u201d<\/span><\/em> But <\/span>what <\/span>if <\/span>nothing <\/span>happens <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>first <\/span>four <\/span>years? <\/span>Doubt <\/span>begins <\/span>to <\/span>creep <\/span>in. <\/span>She <\/span>might <\/span>wonder, <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Did <\/span>God <\/span>really <\/span>speak <\/span>to <\/span>me? <\/span>Was <\/span>it <\/span>just <\/span>my <\/span>imagination? <\/span>Did <\/span>I <\/span>do <\/span>something <\/span>wrong?\u201d<\/span><\/em> And <\/span>some <\/span>end <\/span>up <\/span>abandoning <\/span>the <\/span>promise <\/span>altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n

But <\/span>suppose <\/span>God <\/span>had <\/span>planned <\/span>for <\/span>her <\/span>to <\/span>conceive <\/span>triplets<\/span><\/strong> in <\/span>the <\/span>fifth <\/span>year. <\/span>Her <\/span>timing <\/span>was <\/span>wrong\u2014<\/span>not <\/span>God’s.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>problem <\/span>wasn\u2019t <\/span>the <\/span>promise, <\/span>but <\/span>her <\/span>expectations<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>We <\/span>often <\/span>confuse <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>silence <\/span>or <\/span>slowness <\/span>with <\/span>absence. <\/span>Yet <\/span>God <\/span>is <\/span>always <\/span>working\u2014<\/span>even <\/span>when <\/span>we <\/span>can\u2019t <\/span>see <\/span>it<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>see <\/span>Habakkuk <\/span>2:<\/span>3<\/span><\/strong>: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Though <\/span>it <\/span>linger, <\/span>wait <\/span>for <\/span>it; <\/span>it <\/span>will <\/span>certainly <\/span>come <\/span>and <\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>delay.\u201d<\/span><\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/span><\/h3>\n

John\u2019s <\/span>story <\/span>teaches <\/span>us <\/span>a <\/span>powerful <\/span>truth: <\/span>We <\/span>must <\/span>hold <\/span>tightly <\/span>to <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>promises, <\/span>but <\/span>loosely <\/span>to <\/span>our <\/span>expectations <\/span>of <\/span>how <\/span>they\u2019ll <\/span>be <\/span>fulfilled.<\/span><\/strong> Let <\/span>God’s <\/span>Word <\/span>shape <\/span>your <\/span>faith, <\/span>not <\/span>your <\/span>assumptions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Blessed <\/span>is <\/span>anyone <\/span>who <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>stumble <\/span>on <\/span>account <\/span>of <\/span>me.\u201d<\/span><\/em>
\u2014 <\/span>Matthew <\/span>11:<\/span>6 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

May <\/span>we <\/span>learn <\/span>to <\/span>trust <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>character<\/span><\/strong> even <\/span>when <\/span>His <\/span>ways <\/span>confuse <\/span>us, <\/span>and <\/span>may <\/span>we <\/span>believe <\/span>His <\/span>promises <\/span>without <\/span>reshaping <\/span>them <\/span>into <\/span>our <\/span>own <\/span>image<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

God <\/span>bless <\/span>you.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n