being EXPECTANT - 5/19/21
“In the morning, Lord You hear my voice; In the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly." - Psalm 5:3
As the darkness makes way to dawn, before our busy days and world corrupt our thoughts, we speak our wants and needs to Him, and anxiously wait for Him to answer.
“Pray like you expect something to happen.” - James 5:1
Wants, needs, prayers requests, all at His Feet. We wait for prayers to be answered, families to be reunited, hearts and bodies to be healed, reconciliation, redemption, forgiveness, etc. How often we long for things that aren’t here yet.
We spend so much time waiting, being expectant of what’s to come, for something to begin or end, that I wonder if we occasionally forget to live where we are, in this moment, in this season.
So, let’s talk recovery and being expectant…
Are you expectant of what God can do for you through this season?
Are you expectant of how He can grow you?
Are you expectant of how your life will improve or change?
Allow God to walk with you through this recovery, it’s too hard to go alone, and why would you anyway? Recovering and Celebrate Recovery go hand in hand for a reason, a journey that’s been walked by many, and you my friend are capable of walking it out as well. Easy? Maybe not on some days, but you have a God that will walk with you every step. We need people, and we need those who’ve walked through it to share their stories, provide hope and cover us with anticipation that God can do the same for us. I hope each week you recover you’re able to embrace those with you in CR, and allow their stories and yours to mix. One of the coolest things about CR is who God chooses for us to recover with. He ordains this, so allow it. You have those that sit amongst you that are sharing your breaths and they quite possibly may need you and your heartbeat to keep them going.
As you embrace the uncertainty of what’s ahead, you can feel the weight of your burdens become less. Embracing, Instead of fighting the unknown, will allow a sense of trust that can cover you with peace.
What if we had NO expectations, not for ourselves, or for others, not even for God Himself? What do you think might happen then? We wouldn’t set ourselves up to fail because we hadn’t set a bar, and others wouldn’t disappoint us because there wasn’t an expectation set for them. Maybe it would lesson some anxiety in our lives.
All that said, I believe It’s ok to have expectations, just don’t set them out of your reach. Don’t expect too much from yourself, or from others. Don’t expect more than you can give, and don’t expect others to be something they aren’t capable of being. I’ve been there, waiting and hoping for others to change and it’s heartbreaking when they aren’t capable of the destination or the amount of pressure put upon them. Let God mold you, and them. God not only does a work in you when you recover, but He also works in lives of your families, friends, etc.
Expect God to use you, change you, better you, and redeem you through the breaths you breathe during this season, after all, His Promises say He will.
“For I am doing somethings In your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even If someone told you about it.” - Habakkuk 1:5
Victory is yours!
Shelley Taylor
(originally posted in Fellowship of the Parks NFW - Celebrate Recovery blog)