Photo by Taylor Van Riper

“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.”

— Thomas Moore

Have you read the novel, Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens? I remember reading it in High School and I loved it.  The main character, Pip, has great expectations for his future.  He wants to become a kinder person and an educated member of the upper class. He’s a dreamer, on his way to a better life.

So many of us have great expectations for our lives.  In our youth, we embrace idealism, believing we will create the lives we choose.  We aspire for successful careers, happy families, and enriching hobbies. We imagine finishing our last days satisfied, and full of years.   

Yet do you know anyone who has led a dreamy life, their whole life? I think that’s only for Hallmark movies. Occasionally, our great expectations meet disappointment… and that is a part of life.

There is, however, a superior kind of “expectation” told of in the Bible:

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.”

— 1 Peter 1:3b-4

This “great expectation” is the hope of eternal life because of what Jesus has done. Knowing we have such wonderful joy ahead; we can truly be glad.  This is what we hold on to, it’s what keeps us going… going through all our hardships.  Heaven is waiting!

Sometimes we receive an inheritance on earth when parents leave their possessions to their children. It can be a big blessing. But this verse says, our heavenly inheritance will be priceless! I can’t imagine a priceless inheritance on earth, and I really can’t imagine one in heaven.

Have you ever watched the Antique Road Show? It’s been one of my mother-in-law’s favorite programs. People bring their treasures to the show for an expert history lesson and appraisal. They are always amazed by what their antiques are worth; one person was so blown-away they fell to the ground! This makes the viewers cheer in amazement and wonder if they’ve got any valuable treasures laying around.  What if they owned something that was priceless?!

PRICELESS – That describes what is kept in heaven for us. Our inheritance is pure (nothing on earth is that kind of pure), it’s undefiled (we’ve pretty much defiled everything around here because of sin), and it’s beyond the reach of change and decay (look at our cities – our massive creations are wearing out). But the inheritance God has prepared for his followers will last forever.  It is gloriously beautiful, pure, undefiled, and incorruptible. There won’t be a need for an Antique Road Show appraisal because everything is priceless! And there won’t be any fixer-upper shows either, as much as we like to watch them, because remodeling will never be needed.  This inheritance is perfect now and will be perfect forever … and it’s just waiting for us! We have such joy ahead on so many levels we can’t even comprehend it. In fact, we might just fall over when we get there! 

If your dreams have been dashed, will you look forward with hope? Life doesn’t always work out as it should.  God has good ahead for you, in this life and the life to come.   

What if you put your “Great Expectations” in what Christ has done for you? In Him, you will be satisfied with an eternal inheritance, that can never perish, spoil, or fade.

Great Expectations… there was a reason I always loved that title!

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

— 2 Corinthians 4:18

Wild Pink Roses, Beauty Among the Thorns

“Thou hast not that, My child, but thou hast Me;
And am not I alone enough for thee?
I know it all, know how thy heart was set
Upon this joy which is not given yet.”

— Amy Carmichael

“I’ve got some good news and some bad news…” my dad begins as he starts off a story.  It’s usually a joke that makes us all laugh.  Experiencing the bad with the good, isn’t this true of life?  

My longing for good gets shaken up by reality at times.  We all want life at its best: the kids to be successful, our bodies to be healthy, our finances to balance and investments to increase. We want our relationships to thrive and our romances to play like a storybook. We want others to be truthful and look-out for our best.  If they don’t, we get burned and wonder why people have to act the way they do.

When life crashes, when it really levels us, we can feel dismayed.  These kinds of losses are shocking and painful.  Have you ever found yourself so grieved and angry that you demand an answer from God? We innately KNOW life’s not supposed to be this way. So we fight it, we swing at the darkness, not making any difference. “Acceptance” can be the hardest part of the grief process.

A pastor once told me, “You’re longing for Eden, but you aren’t there yet.” It’s true.

I’m in a prayer group of women.  And do you know what? We never have a meeting when there are no prayer requests. As soon as one problem is solved another one pops up. This is life. It’s not picture-perfect, and it won’t be, this side of Heaven.

Do you feel the tension … wanting life as it “should” be and not as it is?

Here are a few ideas to help:

• Know your hope of Heaven will someday come true. Be patient and wait for it.

• Remember we are living in a broken world, there will always be weeds in the garden and sinful, cruel people (they might even be us at times), and there will be disease and death. Try to accept it. I didn’t say you have to like it or agree with it. But, it’s just crazy-making to bang our heads against the wall saying it’s not supposed to be this way.

• If you’re grieving, grieve.  Don’t add any more expectations on yourself.  Allow yourself some time to heal. (In fact, I hope you go wrap up in a warm blanket and wait to finish reading this another time).

• Practice your gratefuls, EVERY DAY. Focus on the good.

• Be a light.  You can do this! Make things fun, add your humor, share your talent, be generous, do a good deed, share a smile.  Be “good news” in someone else’s life.

• Don’t get fooled by what you see on media – it’s all filtered and presents the best, not the worst. We all do it; I’m not going to tell the public of my recent fight, surgery, or share my ugliest picture. So don’t compare your life with someone else’s best life image.

• Remember God is WITH you.  His presence, strength, comfort, and love will get you through the storm.

• Lean into God instead of fighting Him. Some of His best work happens in the dark as we surrender and worship.  

• Love yourself.  Be gentle with your expectations.  Take time to feel your feelings. Do some healthy things that fill your heart.

• Share your feelings with someone you trust (like a friend, pastor, or counselor).

We can all get caught between the now and the not yet, desirous for the way we want life to be.  Even when we don’t see it, God is working.  He is working for the good.  We might see it soon, or, we might have to wait until Heaven.  But we will see it.

So let me end by saying, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news …” and someday the bad news is getting swallowed up in victory. I’m cheering for you – that no matter what comes your way, you will persevere in faith, and offer your own blend of good news wherever you go!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

— Hebrews 10:23-24