Expectations

I don't know why but I can't get this topic out of head! The Lord must be needing me to write about this so I will.

Life is a funny thing. It is FULL of expectations, no matter what you're doing there is one of those beastly expectancies lurking in every corner waiting to disappoint you. Sometimes though if you manage to tell yourself often enough not to expect anything from someone or something, then you will often either be happily surprised or at the very least not surprised at all and that is better than any disappointment.
People are the worst at fulfilling an expectation because as soon as you begin to hope for the best in someone, they will always disappoint you. The same is true for ourselves, we will always disappoint someone else as well.
I have had the hardest time with people in general in the past and because the Lord has worked on me in this area I believe I have become much better at hoping for the best and not expecting anything so as to be either happily surprised or not surprised at all. God has taught me and has pushed it through my thick skull that He is the only one that will never disappoint me. It is too much of a burden to put on friends and family to "expect" that they will know what to do or be there when you need them, etc. I used to get so mad because I felt like I had no one to talk to and often felt sorry for myself. Which, don't get me wrong if it's the wrong time of the month I still do plenty of that but now I can get over it much easier.
I think the need to please others comes from a person's own expectations of themselves and really doesn't have much to do with others as it does expecting people to appreciate you and like you. When you don't receive your pats on the back you end up resentful and wondering why no one appreciates the kind of person you are.
Expectations followed by disappointments are so much a part of life that whether or not we realize it they happen all day, everyday. Realizing that God is the only one in this life that will never disappoint us is vital to surviving this world. He is our rope and harness as we rock climb this mountain of life.