Expectation

Galatians 3:3-6 "Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?  So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?"

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Proverbs 16:9
"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."  

Expectation—preconceived tags for greatness or failure put on by others or yourself.  Do we let them dictate who we are, what to say or throw away the tags and just be ourselves?  There are times we may be weighed down by expectations, whether brought on from others or ourselves.  We have a choice to let it break us or make us strong.  Having an original goal of being a music therapy major I am beginning to realize how much music is used every day as therapy not only for myself, but many others as well.  I often find it to be the easiest way to express myself under difficult situations.  In a video journal on their song Warn, Tenth Avenue North's lead singer, Mike Donehey, points out that it is rarely the things in life that are the most comfortable where we see God's hand at work.  He has a point.  It can be a good thing to complain or just talk it out even with yourself, but if a solution is not found from it what is the point?  Instead why not try to look at it from God's perspective?  Why not ask God what he wants to teach us through this circumstance?  In another discussion about their song, The Struggle, Tenth Avenue North’s lead singer, Mike Donehey, points out that it's often in hardships we cry out to the Lord to take them away when we need to be careful to note being a believer does not guarantee life will be easier.  He goes on and reiterates that it's often in hardships we cry out to the Lord to take them away when we need to be careful to note being a believer does not guarantee life will be easier.