The Waiting RoomSample

Day 3: Be Expectant

Whilst in the waiting room, what are you expectant of? Are you expectant of a good outcome, or are you conflicted or terrified because of what has been presented to you?

Our expectations are strongly influenced by what we believe. So today, reflect on what it is that has helped form your beliefs about what to expect in a certain situation.

As children of God, the basis of our expectations should be guided by God’s word. God’s word contains many promises which He yearns to fulfil for all of us. But the expectancy of the fulfilment of these promises should not be accompanied by a character of entitlement. Being expectant of God requires humility, abiding in Him and surrendering to His will.

In reciting The Lord’s prayer, we pray for God’s will to happen in our lives. But are we ever ready for the revelation of what His will is? What it will mean for us? At times God’s will doesn’t match our expectations. We ask for God’s will but with preconceived ideas of how that will look like. And when it doesn’t materialise the way we envisioned, we feel crushed.

Praying for God’s will to happen means we are declaring ourselves completely reliant on Him. It means we rely solely on God for “fresh ideas” on how to change our situation(s) around. Being expectant is about letting our hope keep us joyful as Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:12. Being expectant is about playing our part to ensure that God’s promises upon our lives get fulfilled. Citing expectancy in faith but not playing an active role is described as “useless” in James 2:14-26.

So what now? In that waiting room, be expectant for God to move in ways that only He can. Believe (have faith) that God wants to do good in your life and He will. For our expectations to be aligned with God’s will, we are required to first seek His God’s kingdom as Jesus says in Mathew 6:33. Seeking Him in earnest paves way for our expectations to be aligned with His will. This is what will keep us strengthened and determined in the waiting room. We wait with expectation, knowing that all things are work together for our good (Romans 8:28).