Less Than Expected

It doesn't pay to get our hopes up only to be shattered and neutralized.  High hopes can demoralize when unrealized.  We might even have great expectations for ourselves, only to be disappointed.  Everyone has flaws and even dreams, but we must live in reality and shoot for the stars yet realistically know our aptitude. Our real altitude is our attitude and no one can take this away. But if we aim at nothing, we're sure to get there!  It never hurts to set goals and achieve them in increments or steps that are achievable, accountable, and measurable.  We must see results to stay encouraged.  All achievements are surpassed, records are broken, reputations faded, tributes forgotten, and trophies trashed or destroyed, but God has a plan for us (cf. Job 23:14; Psalm 57:2; 138:8). When King David had achieved God's purpose, He took him (cf. Acts 23:13).  Just as we expect a lot of ourselves, God has a lot invested in us and a lot on the line and expects performance and faithfulness to Him.  Don't let God down! "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps" (Prov. 16:9, NLT).

Jesus knew what was in man and wasn't surprised at Peter's flaws and the fact that he was only human when he said, "Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man!"  When Jesus found him sleeping in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."   We must all come to this statement of faith and realize our disqualification to meet the Lord. To make the sinner realize he's a sinner is Job One for the preacher, we preach the bad news as well as the good news of Jesus.  Repentance is part of the Law, which measures us, it doesn't save us.  Sin is a killjoy word and many preachers don't want to go there for fear of offending the flock, but this is part of the message to preach:  "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" The opening words to the ministries of both John the Baptist and Jesus.   Those who think they are specimens of virtue may be further from God than any sinner who realizes his sin.  Jesus said that those who say they can see are the real blind ones.

Jesus expects us to own up to our sins, even the ones acceptable to us or our pet sins, and to make restitution spiritually and to come clean if God gives the opportunity, renouncing sin, even the one that easily besets us.  Repentance involves a complete moral turnaround from sin to God.  It's more than an AA pledge or New Year's resolution.  It's an about-face or U-turn from our sins and involves the heart, mind, and will: the whole persona.  We turn from our wrongdoing to do goodwill towards God, or His will  Anything less will not do and is a moral failure in God's eyes and lets Him down for He expects us to give ownership of our moral lives to Him.  It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (cf. Romans 2:6).  We will be judged according to our works (cf. Romans 2:6; Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12).

We must not overestimate ourselves or our abilities; we all have limitations and should realize the domains God has called us to.  I hesitate to make political or scientific statements, because of a lack of formal training, despite having strong opinions.  But that's just what they are and I'm still entitled to my opinions, just not my own facts and must learn to distinguish the two. If I opine on these areas, it leaves much to be desired to a trained observer or student.  But I do know a thing a two about worldview and have studied it enough to know some facts and have educated opinions formed by experience in these academic disciplines.

We don't want to let our Lord down by becoming less than expected to Him.   He has a plan for us to be achieved if we abide by His will and walk with Him.  He has a purpose for us anyway but we want God's best for us and to have Him prosper our endeavors.  The best we can hope for is God to say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant (affirmation), you have been faithful in little and shall be in charge of much (promotion), enter into the joy of the Lord (celebration).  This involves acknowledgment of us or affirmation (good job!), and even promotion and reward for our labor in the Lord, which is not in vain (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58).

Said reward depends upon our faithfulness in the ministry God has given us and we are called to (cf. John 3:27, NLT.    This is usually found out by knowing our spiritual gifting. We all have gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships, resources, and time that we are accountable for as blessings.  May we say, "Mission accomplished," as Paul said in Acts 20:24, "The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me." Finally, we want to rejoice at the final audit of our life when we go one-on-one with the Lord at the Bema or Tribunal of Christ.   (Don't let God down!)   Soli Deo Gloria!