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What are your expectations? Somehow, I think unrealized or unmet thoughts (by ourselves or others) about how something will turn out can take a toll on us. We can’t possibly know how every situation is going to unfold, but managing our expectations can help if things take an unexpected turn. And by “managing,” I mean letting go of the tight grip we have on our own ideas and allowing God to take the reins.
The U.S. men’s gymnastics team took home a bronze medal this year in Paris – their first medal in SIXTEEN years! Can you imagine the weight of those expectations over the years? And yet, in a way, it’s actually unmet expectations that contributed to their win.
In what might be the most pressure-packed situation you could imagine in men’s gymnastics − the last routine of the last rotation of the Olympic final − Stephen Nedoroscik’s incredible performance on pommel horse ultimately helped secure the bronze medal for the team.
Stephen started in gymnastics when he was just 5 years old. By the time he was in high school, he noticed that his gymnastics path wasn’t exactly going as he had expected. He wasn’t progressing the way he’d thought he would. So, at the tail end of high school, he decided to let go of how he thought things were going to be and instead focus on one thing: the pommel horse. He went all in. And because of that, Team USA has a bronze medal for the first time in 16 years!
Maybe you feel like you need to be great at everything. Maybe you feel like you’ve got to balance every spinning plate in your life. Maybe, it’s time to reframe those expectations.
Proverbs 16:9 says “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
What is God asking of you? What’s He calling you to do? Focus on him, go all in! Trust that He is in control and know that He has great plans for you.