"Uninvited" Lysa Terkeurst
“We must respect ourselves enough to break the pattern of placing unrealistic expectations on others” (Terkeurst pg45).
It’s so easy to place expectations on others and sometimes we do it without realizing it. We often find ourselves hurt, angry, or even frustrated when others don’t meet our needs. Instead, give those needs to God and allow him to meet your needs. It doesn’t matter how big or small you feel your need is. If it is important to you, it’s important to God. Let’s say you are in need of dishes for your home or maybe you need a new dryer, but now is not the ideal time to buy either. What do you do? You take your need to God and ask him if he can provide the new dryer or dishes and wait. The key thing is to wait on God. Don’t pray about it and rush off and go try to meet the need yourself. (I’m guilty of doing that) Allow God the time to work on your behalf.
Maybe you’re not sure how a bill is going to get paid this month. Tell God how you feel. Tell him you are concerned and don’t know how this bill is going to get paid. Ask God to pay the bill or provide resources to pay the bill. Have your eyes open for the blessing. It could come through extra hours at work or even a friend could provide you with the funds. Let God meet your need.
Lets say you’re feeling alone and the person you always run to to make you feel better, isn’t available. You’ve called them multiple times and haven’t gotten an answer. Instead of being upset with that person for not being available, go to God. Tell God that you feel alone right now and ask him to heal your heart and mind. Ask God to comfort you during this moment. Read scriptures on loneliness. God tells us time and time again that he will never leave us and that he is always with us.
Sometimes our emotions and feelings are all over the place. It’s like one moment you’re having a great day and the next moment you’re not. God’s word and the way he feels about you never changes. It’s time to stop placing our expectations on others and give those concerns over to God. Allow God to meet that need and you will feel so much better.