When reality does not live up to expectations

by Marvin Bublitz

Have you ever been excited about something? I mean, really excited?

You go over it in your mind. You plan just how things will go. You have it all laid out. Maybe it is the first day of school. Or maybe you’re preparing for your driver’s test, knowing how it will work out. Perhaps it is the school dance. You go over in your head what will happen at the job interview. When you meet your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, you know exactly how it will go, how charming you will be. Maybe it is what you expect as a Christmas gift. Or maybe it’s the reaction you expect to a gift you are giving.

But then it happens. Reality hits. All those expectations you built up come face to face with the reality before you.

Such is life this side of heaven. We may want a certain outcome. We may plan for specific results. But then reality hits us square in the face. And it is not just in our personal lives this happens. Think about our life in the church. A congregation calls a pastor and has expectations. A pastor accepts a call and has expectations. All might work out beautifully except for one thing: that one thing is that both pastor and members are sinners.

Too often our expectations are rooted in that sin. Satan whispers in our ear and convinces us that our expectations are valid and the other person is the one wrong. But in truth we are all wrong—we are all poor miserable sinners. Our best intentions and our purest expectations are all tainted with sin.

How do we handle sin? We repent. We lay it at the foot of the cross. We trust in Jesus who bled and died for us. When our trust is in Jesus, we are not disappointed. He fulfills what He promises. We can expect from Him exactly what He promises.

Our expectations of others are rarely met. We are often disappointed. And we rarely meet their expectations of us. Faced with this situation, we need to reevaluate our expectations. But even that reevaluation can be tainted with sin.

How do we handle sin? We repent. We lay it at the foot of the cross. We trust in Jesus who bled and died for us. When our trust is in Jesus, we are not disappointed. He fulfills what He promises. We can expect from Him exactly what He promises.

He promises forgiveness for all who repent. So, we repent of our sinful expectations. We repent of our failures. Then we expect forgiveness. And the Lord does not disappoint. He forgives as He promised.

The whole time Satan whispers in our ear, “Oh, don’t you believe it. Jesus will disappoint you just like everyone else you know. He will not live up to your expectations.” But Satan is wrong. It is not our expectations that matter; Jesus does not strive to live up to our sinful expectations. Rather, He fulfills the will of the Father. He came in the flesh to Bethlehem. He willingly took the cup of suffering. He willingly went to the cross for your sin.

And we can expect that He does what He says, “Your sins are forgiven. Take eat, take drink for the forgiveness of your sins.”

See, the Father planned your salvation before the creation of the world. He planned to send His Son at just the right time, born of a virgin. He prepared a mansion for you in His kingdom. And He will take you there in His time. For the sake of His Son, He welcomes you into His paradise.

So, what can you expect? People often ask pastors and doctors what to expect at death. Well, here it is: the believer in Christ can expect to be forever with the Lord. They can expect to be welcomed through the pearly gates because Jesus is their Saviour. He has promised it to you. He will fulfil that promise.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

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Rev. Marvin Bublitz is Lutheran Church–Canada’s East Regional Pastor.

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