Black Holes of Expectation

ex-pec-ta-tion – pronounced [ek-spek-tey-shuh n] noun
1. the act or the state of expecting
2. the act or state of looking forward or anticipating
3. an expectant mental attitude
4. something expected; a thing looked forward to

Who among us has never had an expectation for something? Oh, you in the back, with the Flock of Seagulls hair, yeah...they aren't coming back...so you can put your hand down. I know one thing that many guys and some girls around my age had expectations for about 10 years ago. Episode I. That's right Star Wars.

We grew up with the "Original Trilogy" as it's now called. We knew that Darth Vader was really Anikin Skywalker, and that he was once good. And many of us couldn't wait for Episode I when we'd start to see his back story and how he became one of the most heinous yet sympathetic villains of all time. News and rumors were circling in '96 and early '97. Eventually we got a trailer who some friends of mine paid to see "Meet Joe Black" twice just so they could go back in and see the teaser again. (No it wasn't me.)

I was excited though. I blew all the money I got from selling my text books back at the end of the semester on Ep. I figures. I went home from college, nearly 20 years old, with giddy hopes of an epic adventure. I remember running into a friend from high school at the food court who had seen an advance preview, jokingly he said he wept it was so good. I even skipped a youth event to go see the opening night with my brother from another mother Shawn. We stood in line watching people dressed up march around, waving our own Qui-gon Jin lightsabers around like the geeks we were...are.

We went inside, the theater darkened...when "Lucasfilm" dissolved onto the screen the place went up in a roar of excitement. Then the yellow crawl...and the adventure began...

Two and a half hours later we left. I remember being excited and thinking it was well worth the wait. Jar Jar hatred didn't exist yet and there was the promise of 2 more movies.

It now appears I was one of few my age who actually enjoyed that movie. After 20 years of no new Star Wars...(now I come to it) expectations were very high. Many people were left disappointed. Slowly I started to hear about Jar Jar, and the kid ruining the movie and so on. The movie wasn't ruined, but many people's expectations were.

For something like Star Wars expectations built over a long time. Expectations built up over a long time, or with intensity have a way of overpowering the thing that is expected. So that when fruition finally comes we are left sorely disappointed.

Another example is the current President of the USA. For many people Obama carried many expectations. Expectations they are realizing he is not living up to. There has been no great change. What hope has been presented when so many struggle to keep gas in the car and food on the table? I'm not saying this is the President's fault. But, the expectation for these were high, and they are not being met.

So many times expectations can lead us into black holes of disappointment, regret, and even depression. Unmet expectations can destroy a life. Rather, unmet expectations if given enough importance, can destroy a life. For our expectations have no more weight than what we give to them.

Personally I have had many expectations in life from movies to relationships to experiences that have not lived up to what I wanted. This can be said of my relationship with God too. How many time have I been encouraged to "expect something from God," and not seen delivery?

That is not indicative of how God responds to me. As I may have thought at the time. It is how I approach God, and expect from Him. When things are all about ME and what I want, I should expect to be disappointed!

I think we need to replace Expectation with Hope.

I'm of course referring to bigger things in life than movies now. Hope has, despite recent campaign slogans, taken on a feeble and weak minded overtone in today's society. We hope the line isn't long at the deli counter, we hope the birthday card gets there in time...we hope for trivial things.

1 Cor 13:13
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love."

Hope. There it is right in the middle of Faith and Love. Hope is more than just a spiritualization of a wish. It is a pillar for Christians to lean on. Faith is complimentary to faith.

Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."

It is because of the hope that faith can be sure. The ancients here are the Hebrews being led out of Egypt. They hoped for years to be freed. And they were. Their faith was proven. Their children hoped to enter the Promised Land, and they did. Their faith was proven. This continues throughout history.

Hope is so important, and more satisfactory to the soul than expectations. Expectations can be missed. Hope keeps going. There is no end to hope but what you give to it. Expectations will meet or fail once an event or time has passed.

There have been a great many things that I have hoped for that have not happened in the way I anticipated. But I have not lost hope. Hope for certain things has matured or changed as I've grow up, and grown in Christ. Also my understanding of expectations is changing.

I can not expect others to meet the expectations I have for them. But I can hope that they live up to the potential they have, and if I'm able, help them in that.

Expectations for the future need to become hopes. And hope needs to take on a more substantial role in life. Real hope. So like the ancient people of Israel keep hoping. Never give up that hope, for your children will see it, and perhaps they will be rewarded with seeing your faith proven. Maybe you will see it proven, maybe not. But don't stop hoping. Save your expectations for lesser things, and give your Hope to the greater.

Hope will never lead you into a black hole of depression, regret or despair. Because hope doesn't die. Especially if you place all your hope in Jesus...for He will not fail. That doesn't mean we will get everything we ever want...but can trust that he will give us what we need. And when we allow ourselves to desire what we need, our hope aligns itself to where it should be.