Good Expectations
O’ Theophilus,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:1, ESV).
I write to you from and in the unexpected. In my last correspondence, I wrote to you about my upcoming travels and what I had expected, along with my expectation of the Lord’s work in and through the trip. However, what I assumed, what I expected, was not entirely what I was met with. I thought that I would be across the globe writing my next entry to you, but, due to unforeseen circumstances outside of my and my travel group’s control, my team and I were not able to leave for Italy after all. While I penned confidence in meeting the Lord’s good work in my travels, I instead met the Lord’s good work in my staying.
What do I mean in the Lord’s “good” work in missing this incredible opportunity? How could this be good? I reflect now on a similar passage to the one I did in my last correspondence. Proverbs 16:9 reads, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” In the same way that we trust and rest in the Lord’s work instead of grasping at understanding our steps, we must trust and rest in His sovereign work in our steps, even when our plans do not go the way we anticipate or hope. While there is nothing wrong with planning, the Lord establishes our steps forward. In the unexpected, in the unknown, we not only meet the Lord and His work, but we can expect it. This work, whether we understand it or not, is good, because of our becoming more like Jesus in it (Rom. 8:28-29). The Lord’s good work is present regardless of where our journeys lead, and it is in the unexpected parts of the journey where we really learn trust and dependence in His goodness. Even as I write to you not in anticipated travels but in unexpected staying, I have met the One I did expect to, and I trust and depend on His good work in this place, too.
I do not know where you find yourself, where your steps have led, most excellent Theophilus. Yet, you can have good expectations in what’s to come regardless of what comes. You can have good expectations in a Person, a good Lord who sovereignly guides your steps and walks with you in them. Pray for my dependence on His goodness, and I will pray this for you as well.
Grace be with you,
caleb