God's Expectations and Human Expectations

If I were to ask, which is harder, meeting God's expectations or human expectations? What would your answer be? I used to feel that meeting God's expectations was very difficult, even impossible. However, one event changed my perspective.

When I started working in a family business founded by my father, I was required to spend more time with him. I met him both at the office and at home. My father had a dominant, choleric temperament, with a natural tendency to respond aggressively. Meanwhile, my personality is melancholic-choleric. Inevitably, our different mindsets and ways of responding caused many sharp disagreements. Not infrequently, those disagreements made me cry.

At one point, a conflict occurred and reached a sharp climax. That event made me think about how difficult it is to meet someone's expectations. Even though that person was my own father. What I felt was that my father loved and cared for me ONLY IF I met his expectations and did things that pleased his heart.

That event made me think, it turns out that meeting human expectations is also difficult. So, what makes us more often tend to struggle to meet human expectations rather than God's expectations?

Why God's Expectations Feel Difficult

1. We Do Not Fully Understand God's Love

Psalm 145:8 - The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Does God's love for me decrease when I do not obey Him? Or when I am inconsistent spiritually and do not serve Him much? Does God love me more when I am consistent in my quiet time? When I am experiencing many victories for His name?

It turns out this is what I failed to understand. God's love never changes. His love is everlasting and eternal, not rising and falling with emotion and also not conditional.

Have you ever seen people competing to win the favor of their boss at work? They are willing to do extra so that they can become their boss's trusted person. Not infrequently, they even sacrifice other important things to meet their boss's expectations. But there are also people who have tried with all their might, yet it never seems to be enough for their boss or coworkers.

Isn't it harder to meet human expectations than to meet God's expectations? Human expectations are often beyond reason, hard to reach, and ever-changing. There are many terms and conditions to be considered good enough by someone. But God's expectations? He has stated them clearly and they never change. God's expectations of us are based on His love for us and His trust in us. He wants what is best for us.

2. We Prefer Human Honor to God's Honor

In John 12:43, the word of God says, “For they loved human honor more than the honor of God.” I am reminded of Saul's story when he was in a desperate situation facing the Philistines (1 Samuel 13). At that time the prophet Samuel had not yet arrived and, in his fear, Saul offered the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, which was not his right.

But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul answered, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me....” (1 Samuel 13:11) Saul did not want to lose his people and disobeyed God's command because he wanted to please the people.

What often causes us to fail to meet God's expectations is because we prefer human honor to God's honor. Perhaps we are afraid of being abandoned by our friends or the people we love. Perhaps we are afraid of not being liked, being considered self-righteous, and being mocked if we care more about God's commands. So we compromise. Knowing what is right, but not daring to take the right action. We think more about human expectations than God's expectations.

Place Your Expectations in God

What about my own expectations? At one point in my life's journey, I finally understood that none of my expectations in this world are eternal. My plans and desires in life are not fully under my control. In relationships, I saw how a friend I loved became a different person later on. Our relationship changed as well. Even though I hoped we could remain friends to one another forever.

When I place my expectations not in God, I will experience disappointment, hurt, and even bitterness. But does that mean we do not need to have expectations and trust people again? I believe that is not so. Of course it is important for us to have goals and hope in work, in relationships, and also in our dreams. But I need to remember to always surrender my expectations into God's hands alone.

Hope in the Lord, O Israel, from now on and forevermore! (Psalm 131:1)

Blessed is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord, his God. (Psalm 146:5)

* Church GKDI is currently in 35 cities. We have Bible Study activities in every area; if you need information or would like to get involved, contact us at Church GKDI Official: WhatsApp 0821 2285 8686 or Facebook / Instagram GKDI Official

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