Unrealistic Expectations

     Having positive expectations is a good thing as long as we are not unrealistic in our outlook.  This was true for me when I approached knee surgery.  In January 2020, I had a partial replacement of my left knee.  Rehab was a challenge but manageable.  However, some months later, it became clear that I would need a full replacement to deal with issues I was having.  So in November of 2020, I had another surgery to remedy these problems.  Rehab was a breeze.  I seemed to recover very quickly.  Knowing I would need my right knee replaced, we planned on surgery at the end of March 2021.  I expected the quick recovery I had with the left knee.  However things do not always go as planned.

     In reality, the right knee rehab has been more painful and has taken longer than I expected. 
Of course, I based my expectations on my previous experience, but this sometimes leads to disappointment.  Proverbs 13:12 reminds us:  "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life."  When we put our hope in anything other than the Lord, we can find ourselves discouraged.  I admit that I have felt that way as I have gone through rehab.  Why am I not progressing as fast as I did before?  What's wrong with me?  As I would lament, my dear husband would remind me that I had been through three major surgeries in a little over a year.  Sometimes, we don't bounce back like we did when we were younger, and every surgery is a little bit different.  Most importantly, God is in control. 

     Funny how we succumb to the notion that things will always turn out the same, but life is filled with changes.  The only constant is our Lord Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  We often place a lot of our hope on past experiences so we expect certain outcomes.  For example, we may get married expecting our spouse to be a great cook like our mother or father.  When it doesn't turn out that way, we can become critical of our partner because they have not met our expectations forgetting that we may have disappointed them too in some area.  The point is that we must place our hope in Christ not on particular outcomes.

     What we often forget is that God's timing is perfect in all things.  His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  Yet, God is mindful of us and knows our desires even before we pray about them.  This was proven to me over and over when we wanted to have children. I had difficulty getting pregnant, and we underwent many tests.  In due time, God heard our prayers and blessed us with four children.  His timetable was different from ours, but His plan was always to bring us good as Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us:  "For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."   

     Yesterday at physical therapy, I had a very good report on the progress I was making with my slow but steady right knee.  How I thanked God for that positive news!  Unrealistic expectations had tried to make me feel discouraged, but God reminded me that, in Him, we have hope for each new day.  May our prayer for each day be that of Proverbs 3:5-6:  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  Place your hope in Him and you will not be disappointed!  Selah!