Opportunities, many times, are so small that we glimpse them not and yet they are often the seeds of great enterprises. Opportunities are also everywhere and so you must always let your hook be hanging. When you least expect it, a great fish will swim by. – Og Mandino quotes

What is it to be expectant? When we hear the word, our minds immediately think of pregnancy. She is expecting. They are expecting their first child.

See, I was right. The synonym is pregnant. The Free Online dictionary even confirms 🙂

Do you remember as a young child when you wanted something so desperately and you ran to your Mom begging her for it? Her typical response was probably like this, “Go ask your Father”, right?

You all may have to tell me the verdict as I cannot relate. My Mom had to make the decisions as she was a single parent most of my childhood.  Her response was either “Yes or No, we cannot afford it.”

Here recently, the Lord has been heavily dealing with me on the word expectant and how it concerns my prayers. It seems I am double minded. Yes, I pray, I believe, but I doubt all at the same time.

He’s been showing me that I should pray with expectancy, one who anticipates their prayers will come through. I thought I was but I guess I was not showing that exciting feeling that something good was about to happen.

I think it all stems back to my childhood and the absent father issue. The people I expected to take care of me and come through for me either did not for selfish reasons or could not for issues of their own. So, I started depending on myself.

After dealing with this new discovery, I tried to pray with expectancy. However, I could not. I couldn’t say it convincingly. Maybe it was fear, fear of being disappointed. Maybe it was fear of sounding self-centered and having a sense of entitlement. Maybe it was because I felt unworthy. Nobody had ever shown me that I was worthy of receiving anything good so why would they start now?

I guess I needed a bit more convincing.

I was watching Biggest Loser Tuesday night when I got the so-called message. Alex was weighing in for her final weigh in of the week. As the scaled showed, she only lost 3 pounds. She wasn’t really disappointed though. She chalked it up as “doing her best”. But I like how Bob, her trainer, challenged her, kind of like how God challenged me.

Bob told her that 3 pounds was not her best. She could do better and she should expect better. He said that she deserves the world 🙂 You could see her eyes tear up. Maybe no one had ever told her that before. But I think then at that moment, she believed.

I agree with Bob. I think we all deserve the world. Your “world” may look different from mine – a book deal, traveling around inspiring others, and a husband. Maybe you want to lose weight and be the best shape possible like Alex or maybe you simply want to be loved.

I think whatever you strive for or hope for, do it with expectancy. Show the world that you know a change is on the way even though there are no visible signs present.

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (Psalm 5:3 NIV)