Sometimes Sitting At God’s Feet Means I Tie Myself To His Chair
So when two writer friends posted writing prompts for this week that seemed to go hand in hand, I could hear a “sacred echo”. Suzie Eller’s prompt is “I’m Expecting” and Kate Motaung’s prompt for Five Minute Friday is “Dream”.
What is it about expectations that can thrill us with all the possibilities and then chill us when they are unmet? Dreams and expectations are wrapped around hope and when those dreams come true, we are filled with it and when they are dashed, our hearts are emptied. Faces and attitudes usually reflect either way.
We should definitely have expectations and dreams. They propel us forward. They give us what is needed to move toward what God has planned for us – God given dreams – glimpses into where He is going with our lives, our families, our ministries and careers. Yet when our expectations of how those dreams will play out dominate our feelings and emotions, discouragement and discontentment can seep into our hearts if we forget who needs to be in control.
Marlo Schalesky wrote in God Have You Lost Your Mind?,
“So what do we do when life as we experience it clashes with our expectation of what life should look like, how God should act on our behalf? We glimpse God’s dream for us, we surrender our own dreams, and then our expectations paint a glorious picture of everything wondrous that life will be. But it isn’t.
Wait a minute! We believed. We surrendered. We know what is true. Yet life looks nothing like we thought it would. And God looks nothing like we thought He would! What then? What do we do when experience and expectation conflict?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that God explodes expectations.
He is the God who calls us to leave our expectations at the door and come in to sit at His feet.
Excerpted from Wrestling with Wonder by Marlo Schalesky, copyright Zondervan, 2014.
Suzie Eller wrote in The Mended Heart,
Maybe Jesus has been gently nudging you in a new direction for a long time….calling you to make an absolute U-turn and there’s nothing gentle about it.
In momentum there will always be adjusting, pruning and realignment, for we are transforming from old to new.
And I love this from Suzie:
Take comfort. You aren’t the first person to feel in limbo. Something is taking place inside of you, and this limbo period might just be an important part of God’s ongoing work.
Whether our dreams are coming true and are expectations are being met or life looks nothing like we thought it would right now. God alone directs our steps and He is the one who brings His plan to pass with great timing.
Can we surrender our hopes, dreams and expectations to God’s timing? Can we trust God? I’m determined to sit at His feet even when I feel like I must tie myself to His chair.
Linking today with Suzanne Eller, Kate Motaung, and Susan Mead
God has been showing me this truth this week–or maybe I’m finally opening my eyes and heart to it.
It is hard Debbie to give up on how we think things should be. Learning to trust God with the outcome is definitely a process.
Thank you for this! Sometimes remembering that God gives us dreams for a reason is hard. I tend to get set in my ways, and sometimes have trouble trusting enough to follow where I’m being called.
Absolutely Amy. Hang on to those dreams. When you least expect it, a door opens. Thank you Lord!
Hi Sweet Carmen, glad to see your post here on dreams and expectations. (I didn’t think to link mine with Suzie too, but you’re right! They’re similar.)
One thing I’m learning is not to hold on to m y dreams too tightly. To always be ready to surrender them and just sit at the Lord’s feet, especially when things turn out different than we thought. And yes, sometimes I practically have to tie myself down there too!
I have spent so many days of my life Betsy frustrated and disappointed because I just thought it would be different. Working on that now. Learning to abide in Him.
The Lord has surely been teaching me that my expectations are misguided…because I don’t see the big picture like He does. Trust. He’s teaching me to trust His plan. Love this quote: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that God explodes expectations.” And I’m so thankful He does! Thanks, Carmen.
Sabra so often things just don’t go as I expected either. It cause so much frustration. I’m learning the art of giving my day to God. Letting Him walk me through it. Blessings friend.
Great thoughts Carmen! Sometimes we all need to tie ourselves to a chair, or maybe tie our expectations to the chair, lol…just beginning Mended Heart with P31 and loving Suzie’s words so far…so much wisdom. Following you at FMF today. Have a wonderful day!
Christy
Glad you stopped by Christy. The Mended Heart is a great book. I’m still working on it myself.