Expectations

I’ve always loved the month of July.  The celebration of independence gets us started, and my birthday comes near the end.  When I was younger it meant no school, and lots of baseball.   I still appreciate summer. I enjoy picnics and fireworks, and golf and fishing have replaced baseball on my to-do list. 

            As a pastor I have to admit that summer can be a challenge. We have Vacation Bible School, church camps, and then what many have called, “the summer slump.” That received its name from the fact that so many people take vacations during the summer that attendance and offerings are often below the usual.

            It’s interesting. My first summer in Shellman Bluff was far from normal. Pandemics have a way of changing things. But this summer has opened my eyes. Our area is where people come for vacation.  One of our highest attended Sundays so far this year was the day before Memorial Day.  I wrote this column before Sunday, so I’m not sure how we fared on July 4. 

            Isn’t it interesting how our expectations can be so mistaken?  The truth is that we do not know what the future holds. We think certain things will happen, but life has a way of throwing curveballs at us.  Not one of us can perfectly predict tomorrow.

            That would bother me more except for this fact. God is in control. I don’t have to be.  I can trust Him to take care of me, no matter what comes my way.  I must admit that I would prefer not to be surprised in most cases.  And yet God’s surprises have been such a blessing through the years. 

            I encourage you to trust the Lord.  Even when your expectations are unmet, you can trust Him. Even when you are disappointed, He is faithful.  As the country song says, “Sometimes God’s greatest blessings are unanswered prayers.”