And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5
Do you live with the constant expectation of good, or do you find yourself constantly waiting for “the next shoe to drop?” That may sound like an odd question, but the answer to that question will determine whether you live your life in victory and blessing, or defeat.
Jesus had twelve disciples, three in His “Inner Circle,” Peter, James and John and then there was one. There was one disciple who “seemed” to be his favorite. I say, “seemed” only because Jesus didn’t really have a favorite, but yet there was one who thought he was and that was John. John got his whole identity from the revelation of how much Jesus loved him. In fact, John didn’t refer to himself by name, but instead he referred to himself as “the disciple who Jesus loved.”
I can hear religion screaming now, “Who does he think he his, saying “the one whom Jesus loved.” And, that’s the exact reaction John got from some of his fellow disciples. They probably hated it every time they heard him say those words, but yet John said it over and over. John knew that the love Jesus had for him wasn’t based on anything he had, or had not done. John knew that Jesus loved him, simply because He loved him. The name John means “Jehovah has been gracious; has shown favor.”
So what would this “One” revelation, of how much God loves you, do in your life? You would expect to see doors open in your life. You would expect to make that sale. You would expect that promotion, that favor and blessing to show up every day and everywhere you went. You would expect to come out on top, even when you walked through the darkest times of your life. And, that’s exactly how God wants you think.
The word “Hope” in Romans 5:5 means “Constant expectation of good.” This verse goes on to say that this “Hope” “will not disappoint.” In other words, when you live in the light and revelation of how much God loves you, and you raise your expectations in life based on that truth, God will not disappoint you. People may disappoint you, but God never will!
David expected God to show up on His behalf every day and he noted it in Psalm 23:6. He said, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.” Notice he said “All the days of my life.”
So go ahead and let this “One” revelation change you! Go ahead and raise your expectations today, regardless of your current circumstance, and see how God’s favor and goodness show up in your life.
As I was writing this I keep thinking about the song “Because You Love Me” by Céline Dion. Take a moment to listen and just think about how much He loves you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENBA3wtPSmc