trials

Unmet Expectations

Have you made a purchase that didn’t meet your expectations? This happened to me last week with makeup I ordered online. I wanted a product that would hide the sun freckles on my face. That’s what my dermatologist called them. I call them age spots. But even with my new makeup, the spots remained. What a disappointment. And that wasn’t the only time last week I encountered unmet expectations.

In my work in progress, my hero and heroine once shared a fondness for blue forget-me-nots, but at the time of my story, these same flowers represent brokenness. Because I mention forget-me-nots a few times in the book, I wanted to experience them too. I purchased and planted seeds, but I didn’t get what I expected. I wanted the flowers in the photograph above, but I got these instead:

Those tiny little flowers are lovely, but the blooms don’t have the white or yellow star in the center as I supposed. And I thought forget-me-not flowers were a little larger than the blossoms on my plant. Mine look like weeds with tiny 1/4-inch blooms.

My disappointment was due to my lack of knowledge before my purchase. Upon further research, I realized these weren’t the forget-me-nots I envisioned. The package stated Cynoglossum when I wanted Myosotis, which has the center stars I desired and blossoms of 3/8 inch. And 1/8 inch makes a vast difference with a tiny flower. This problem was easier to fix than my sun freckles: buy and plant the correct seeds!

These unmet expectations I experienced last week are small in comparison with situations we often deal with in life. Circumstances that cause heartache, such as a job that doesn’t go as well as we anticipated, a relationship that ends, a major diagnosis, or losing a loved one. But if we are a child of God, we can meet each situation with hope. Hope that God is with us and will carry us through whatever we face. In our trials, we grow in patience and courage. 

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because
God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through
the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5, NIV 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13, NIV 

Trust the Lord with those unmet expectations and rely upon Him and His great love for you. Ask for His help when you face difficulties in life. His hope is yours.


Notice I didn’t use my face for picture examples! If you have a product to recommend that works for me, I’ll be happy to post before and after photos in my newsletter!

Banner photo by Claude Laprise - Unsplash

Hit Hard

Have you ever been hit hard with something you weren’t at all expecting? Terrible news of some sort you never thought would affect you or those you love? Perhaps the unexpected death of a loved one, divorce of a family member, a personal job loss, a tragic accident, or an unforeseen diagnosis?

Even in those times, God is working on our behalf and will never leave us. He’s our hope and help. He comforts us when we’re weary, provides peace when we’re stressed, and gives us joy in our sorrow.

My husband and I went on a hike two weeks ago and returned home to devastating news. We notified family and friends and called upon them to pray over this situation. Their support and understanding brought comfort to our troubled hearts.

Two days later, during my quiet time with the Lord, I read Romans Chapter 8. When I finished, I reread verse 28.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I said, “Yes, Lord. You are working for our good in this circumstance, and I thank You.”

Within a few hours, another hit came, which made what happened earlier even more devastating. That’s when Romans 8:26-27 came to life as I cried out to the Lord.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Later that day, my husband quoted Romans 8:28 unaware I’d read that same scripture twice that morning. And that evening, as we streamed our mid-week service, our pastor shared the same verse. God was speaking to my heart and telling me that He was in control and working, even though I felt uncertain. How do I know this? His Word declares it. I love Him and He has called me, so He is working for good in my life and in others affected by this news.

Be encouraged knowing that even in our struggles, God is with us. He works even when we can’t see what He is doing. That’s where faith comes in. Faith to believe God is at work in our situation to fulfill his purpose in us.

We walk in faith and hope knowing God is at work. Even when we’re hit hard, He is with us because the Holy Spirit is in us. The Spirit pleads for me and He pleads for you. If you are struggling or hurting, please know God is working in all things.

Father, many of us have been hit hard with trials. But You, Lord, are at work in each of our situations and for this I thank You. I’m also grateful for the Holy Spirit who pleads for my needs according to Your will. I love you, Lord, and thank you for loving me. In Jesus’s name. Amen.


All scripture is from the New International Version (NIV).

Photo by Aliyah Jamous - Unsplash