KATHY GABLER—Time Between Expectation And Manifestation
One thing that keeps us walking steadily forward in working out our salvation and our purpose is expectation. The length of time between expectation and manifestation is rarely predictable and usually only clear to God and hindsight.  In that gap between “the now” and “the future,” that gap between “anticipate” and “achieve,” that gap between “reach” and “hold,” our greatest challenge is to keep processing and not give up.  Perhaps we will be more apt not to quit if we understand three things about expectation: 1) Expectation is a force to be reckoned with because it can build a runway for the future.  Expectation can be a literal form of agreement that opens a portal into our lives.  2) One snare to beware of is that expectations can lock you down.  People tend to watch for and only hear what they expect and so they are blinded to the hand of God moving in any other way.  Our single focus on specific expectations can make us miss the real answer to our prayers.   3) Another snare is that expectations are not always positive.  People expect condemnation when they feel guilty.  People expect failure because of experience.  People expect rejection because of wounds.  Training and aligning our expectations is one way to prepare to see and receive God-results through process this year.