Matthew 10:28
“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
God is in the process of teaching me how to deal with expectations. He's shown me not to prioritize others’ expectations of me too highly. I still struggle with this, but I can better and more quickly recognize when it is happening. Right now, He is bringing home the importance of my own expectations.
For instance, I have a week off from work and have badly needed a vacation. I have certain expectations of what a vacation is. Some of those have been frustrated simply because this is Christmastime and family has been allotted much of my time according to their own structure, which is not what I expect from a vacation.
God is teaching me to recognize when I am disappointed as opposed to being selfish, and how expectations should and should not play a role in my planning and living. It is okay to be disappointed you didn’t get to do something as long as you are still trusting God to orchestrate your life. My hope is in God, not in getting what I want. My frustration is my indication of the fact I want to control the situation. (I’m not saying it’s always sinful to be frustrated, but it does cause me to question my motives. More often than not, it’s because of a sin issue.) So why do I want to control the situation? Fear.
Fear I won't be able to do this or that because I didn't get this or that; fear of letting others down; fear of rejection... I am afraid of a great many things. I need to take that fear and place it on God in two ways: 1) to realize God is in control and will work all things to make me more like Christ (which is for my good), and 2) to be afraid of God, not what I originally feared. God is so much more powerful than anything I could be afraid of, and He loves me with a perfect love. Once I recognize this, I can replace my fear with praise of God.
I love Isaiah 51, particularly verses 12b-13a: “Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies and of the son of man who is made like grass, that you have forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth...”
I almost always pair it in my mind with Matthew 10:28: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
I am so thankful and glad to be able to place my fear on God, because, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." (1 John 4:18) God's love bestows grace and discipline (for our good) rather than punishment. Where I lack of control, He excels!
What have you been fearing lately, and how can you shift your fear to God?
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