April 19th - Lowered Expectations

 The story...

I worked out much of my life as the idealist.  "It's not good the way things are and they should be different."  My "idealistic" ideas seemed virtuous; yet, in my limited understanding, didn't work themselves out well in the light of day.  There seemed to be more negative outcomes than positive - I know that I wasn't comfortable serving within some board member roles.  My "idealistic" presence may have hindered God's Hand in the development of the good church that might meet people's needs as they actually are.

There're reasons for why things are the way they are.  The status quo is meeting needs in ways that we aren't aware of or maybe even able to understand.  Our ways are not God's ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts.  It seems, He has plans that require building some up, slowly teaching some, breaking some down, calling some to faith, asking some to take a first step, sequencing events for a great work, or even generating dissatisfaction so people move out in different directions.

Are you ready to pack up and move on?

I expect the only church in town would have the advantage of not needing to clarify and magnify their distinctive differences as compared to the other church alternatives.in town.  They'd focus on the God-revealed truth that all people are living under a sin curse - original sin.  That sin separates all people from our most holy God and Creator.  God performed the great sacrificial work on our behalf - nothing required from us but faith in what Christ alone has already done.  Faith in the reality that we're redeemed as a new creature - redeemed and adopted into God's family in Christ.  Wow!

Just for today...

"I've learned that I have the ability to adjust my expectations so that I no longer set myself up for constant disappointment."  Courage to Change (p. 110)

"When I first stopped trying to fix other people, I turned my attention to 'curing myself'."  Hope for Today (p. 110)

Read and own Ephesians chapter 2.  Use a different translation if what you read doesn't make sense to both your mind and your inner person.  Please don't quit until you've grasped these wonderful truths about who we are in Christ - then hold on!