Didn’t See This One Coming!
Insights From Vacation Bible School
Learning to Let Go of Unmet Expectations
Unmet Expectations
First day of Vacation Bible School — and I was going to have things my way.
Spit-wads, wrestling, noise, and fun. At least, that was my plan.
Until Miss Marla’s voice cut through the chaos:
“Now, children, let’s all be quiet and say our prayer to get started.”
Quiet? That wasn’t my idea of fun!
The rest of the day, I sulked, pouted, and made sure everyone knew I wasn’t thrilled about being there. But by the end, something started to change. My friend Ryan asked, “Did you like the Kool-Aid? The cookies? The games? The songs?”
I did.
But they hadn’t gone my way.
It turns out, my disappointment wasn’t in the day — it was in my expectations of it.
Expectations in the Way
How often does life feel disappointing, not because God failed, but because our expectations got in the way of experiencing His presence?
There’s an old saying in recovery circles: “Unmet expectations are premeditated resentments.”
It’s true — resentment grows where surrender stops.
When we cling to how things should be, we miss the wonder of what God is doing.
I’ve judged others by their actions and myself by my intentions. I’ve compared what I wanted life to look like with what God actually placed before me — and called it unfair. Yet God invites us to a life free from that inner tug-of-war.
What if living with expectancy — instead of expectation — is the doorway to peace?
Expectations demand control.
Expectancy invites trust.
One limits God to my plans; the other releases me into His.
Living in His Presence
When I lay down my expectations of how people should act, how plans should unfold, or how life “should” look, I finally find rest in the now — in His presence.
The lesson from that long-ago VBS day still speaks: I can live disappointed by what I thought should have been, or amazed by what actually is.
The beauty of walking with God is that He turns our unmet expectations into unexpected joy.
Reflection
Where have expectations kept you from enjoying what’s right in front of you?
What might surrender look like in the area you’ve been trying to control?
How could expectancy — not expectation — help you live more freely in His presence?
Prayer