Assuming, conjecting, expecting! Do you struggle with expecting too much from others? Especially your brothers and sisters in Christ! The Lord has brought me to a place of recognizing that I expect too much from others and myself. I do know the Bible teaches believers will continue to sin until Jesus returns and takes us to our heavenly home! It is one thing to know something and quite another to walk it out. As believers, we should be striving to mortify the sin that still remains in us. (Romans 8:13) So there is that expectation, and we should encourage one another on to holiness. However, I am learning that it is not as easy as it appears. It appears as though we have complete control of our sanctification when in reality we do not. If I do not have full control neither does anyone else. I hope to bring you and me to a better understanding of this principle and to encourage you to be a woman with Godly Expectations.
She Understands the Struggle With Sin
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Every human born into this world is born into the same category, sinners. The only difference between the redeemed and the unredeemed is God’s free gift of salvation. Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are saved from the penalty of death and destruction our sin so rightly deserves. Those who do not believe are still under the wrath and judgment of God. Yet, the believer, the redeemed, still struggles with sin because we are still living in this body of death. (Romans 7:24). Until the Lord takes us home, we will struggle.
She Understands the Need to Walk in the Spirit
Paul tells us in the book of Galatians to walk by the Spirit. If we walk by the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Each one of us can attest to the fact our flesh has many desires and we fight against the Spirit to enjoy them. Or so we think. Fleshly lusts are anything but joyful. Once we taste them, we realize they are unpleasant and bring much sorrow. God warns and reminds us through the writers of His word, that sin is crouching at the door ready to devour us. That is not just written to one person. It is written to every believer for all times. When we understand this truth, we will realize that sin is a struggle for all of us. There is no one perfect we all struggle and we all have the same enemies. Satan and self.
She Understands She is Not in Complete Control
I do not know about you or, maybe I do. Humans have control issues. Some stronger than others, still we all have them, and in some way or another, we want to take complete control. I believe if I act a certain way or speak to a situation in a specific way then all will turn out just the way I think it should. And for some reason, we believe that if everyone around us, that is causing so much irritation, would just pull themselves up by their bootstraps and act the way God commands all would be well. In a perfect world, this would be true. However, we are not living in a perfect world. Sometimes, most of the time, boots are a struggle to pull up and get on.
I am not in control; God is. Believe it or not, that statement is a comfort. Why? Because my redeemed self is learning that my control fails. But God’s control is perfect and never fails because He is perfect and knows why and how to orchestrate every situation for His glory and our good.
She Sees the Wisdom of God in Everything
We lack all wisdom. James tells us that if we lack wisdom we can ask God and He will generously give us wisdom. However, you and I will never possess complete and perfect wisdom. But, we can trust in God’s perfect wisdom and knowledge in all things. We can know and understand that He will act skillfully to accomplish His good pleasure. He has not given us insight into all He does and the reasons why. But He gives us examples in Scripture of ways He works through His creation and people.
She Knows and Believes God is Continually Sanctifying
God made a promise to complete the good work He started in each of His children. (Philippians 1:6) There is hope for every believer in this promise. I know and experience the work He does in my heart and mind. If I, through faith and experience, am being sanctified, I can know by faith, He is doing the same in every believer. There is also rest in knowing God is continually sanctifying those who are His. You and I can rest and expect God to move and work according to His good pleasure! Let’s be women who see, know, and expect, God, to be God.
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