Great Expectations

Hi everyone, after taking a short hiatus from blogging really really heavy stuff, I've come back to share my thoughts after thinking about this thing called 'Expectations'.

I'll just jump straight into it, no funny advertisement youtube videos alright?

Let me just start with this personal experience:
You know, sometimes I personally do not acknowledge out loud, at first sight that I'm a Christian.
And I wander to myself sometimes, why don't I do that?
Yet, one of the reasons was because I don't want them to impose certain expectations on me at first sight.

You tell people you're a christian and immediately they have an impression of how you should be like.
Christians don't lie, cheat, steal, utter vulgarities and the list goes on.
Basically, their idea is that christians are meant to be sinless.
And if ever one day something so happens, they go, "Ohhhhhhh, but I thought he/she's a christian, how can she/he do such a thing!"

Go figure.

You gotta get one thing right about people, whether christian or non-christian, they still make mistakes.
And that's what most people don't understand.
They just unleash THY JUSTICE HAMMER UPON THEE.
Annoying.

So with all those expectations, do you think its easier to be a christian or a non-believer?

Mat 7:13 is my word of encouragement to you:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it."

Be the ones to choose the narrow way, even though it definitely isn't going to be easy.

Paul says in James 1:2-3
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

Well look at it this way, if people already have such high expectations of Christians, you can consider it all good and take great pride in being a follower of Christ!

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

Proclaim the praises of God in your life.
Praise is a mighty weapon against the devil, you can think of it as a holy hammer or a sword that levels up every time you use it.
"Its clobbering time!"

But yes, in such situations where people look at you through colored lenses, the best you probably can do is to give thanks or praises to God.
It beats retaliation anytime.
Revenge is sweet, yes, but at what price?
Vengeance is like a worm that is able to eat deep into your soul the more you choose to feed and fuel it.
A worm that will eventually manifest into a insatiable hunger.

He hears your cry and knows the things of your heart better than anyone else.

Don't take it to heart, be of good cheer.
John 16:33
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

In such situations, you may be thinking, 'But this is too difficult a problem to be solved by a situation as simple as that!'
What is too difficult for God?

Now pay attention to this verse, there's something important in this verse so don't miss it:
! John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Encourage yourself, because of the fact that you are born again of God, and assuredly, you'll overcome the world!
Faith is an active language.
Ultimately, its not about what people think about you but what you think of yourself.

Pro 23:7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Learn to manage expectations by first learning to manage your own expectations.
That takes a whole lot of 'bad' out of your system.
Act on it, act on it, act on it.
The more you act upon it, the better you become at expectation management.
People can look at you at colored lenses, but the color of your movie is for you to decide, and be brave about it.
Expect the best!