Great Expectations?

I am a bit of a Dickens fan.  I love the story of “A Christmas Carol” and forget how many times I have read and re-read the story.  However, my favourite Dickens novel is “Great Expectations.”  The story of Philip Pirrip (Pip) and his rise from rags to riches.

I was thinking about Great Expectations recently when I was re-reading the story of the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24.  Cleopas and an unnamed disciple (possibly his wife) have had enough.  They have seen Jesus dead and buried and they are terrified the same fate lies in store for them.  So, they do the only sensible thing they can think of, they run away.  As they make their journey, they are joined on the road by a stranger (we know it is Jesus because, we have read the end of the story!!) and they start to tell the stranger all that has happened.  It is what Cleopas said to the stranger that struck me;

but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.

(Luke 24 vs. 21)

We had hoped…

These have to be some of the saddest words in scripture.  There is nothing so bitter in life than hopes that are dashed to nothing. It is like they are saying;

We once had great expectations, and now they are vanished

The question I began to ponder was “what do we do with expectations, especially when they fail?”

Thinking about it, our expectations can become a weight that many of us carry with us every day.

The expectations we place on ourselves

The expectations others place on us.

The expectations we silently believe God must have for us.

Some expectations, it is true, inspire growth. But many others become chains.

We expect ourselves to always be strong, always patient, always successful, always spiritually “on fire.” We expect relationships to heal quickly, prayers to be answered immediately, and life to unfold according to our plans. And when reality doesn’t cooperate, disappointment settles in.

But Scripture repeatedly shows that God works differently than human expectation.

The Danger In Our Expectations

Throughout the Bible, people expected God to act one way, only to discover He had a greater plan.

The Israelites expected a political rescuer; God sent a suffering Saviour.

Martha expected Jesus to arrive before Lazarus died; Jesus arrived after

Jonah expected judgment for Nineveh; God extended mercy.

Human expectations are often built around control, comfort, timing, and visible results. God’s purposes are often built around trust, transformation, and eternal perspective.

The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 3 vs. 5–6 to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. That verse is not merely encouragement—it is an invitation to surrender expectations that compete with faith.

Jesus and the Burden of Perfection

One of the greatest misconceptions in Christian life is the belief that God expects flawless performance.

Yet Jesus consistently moved toward imperfect people.

He restored Peter the Apostle after failure

He defended the woman caught in adultery.

He called doubters, tax collectors, and ordinary fishermen.

The gospel is not built on our perfection but on Christ’s finished work.

Many Christians live exhausted because they are trying to meet expectations God never imposed. They confuse spiritual maturity with never struggling, never grieving, or never needing help.

But grace was never meant for the version of us that has everything together. Grace meets us in weakness.

The Expectations We Place On Others

Expectations also shape relationships.

Sometimes we expect people to read our minds, never disappoint us, or fulfil emotional needs. When they fail, resentment grows.

Love becomes healthier when expectations are balanced with grace.

This does not mean ignoring boundaries or accepting harmful behaviour. It means recognizing that every human being is imperfect, growing, and dependent on mercy—just like we are.

Colossians 3 vs. 13 calls us to bear with one another and forgive as the Lord forgave us. That standard is difficult because it requires humility.

Waiting Without Bitterness

Perhaps the hardest expectations involve unanswered prayers.

We expect healing.

We expect restoration

We expect clarity.

We expect breakthrough.

And sometimes heaven feels silent.

Waiting can either deepen faith or harden the heart.

The challenge is learning to trust God’s character even when His timing remains mysterious.

Faith is not believing that God will always do exactly what we expect. Faith is believing He remains good even when life unfolds differently.

Releasing Expectations To God

Surrender is not giving up hope. It is placing hope in the right hands.

God may not fulfil every expectation we create, but He remains faithful to every promise He has spoken.

Instead of asking “Why didn’t God meet my expectations?”

Perhaps a better question is “How is God transforming me through this season?”

Sometimes God changes circumstances

Sometimes He changes us first.

And often, the greatest peace comes not from getting what we expected, but from discovering Christ is enough, even when we do not.