Expectation = Disappointment = Resentment

"I have learned silence from the talkative; tolerance from the intolerant and kindness from the unkind. I should not be ungrateful to those teachers." Kahlil Gibran.


When we expect man to treat us justly, kindly, respectfully...we are at fault. We have an expectation. Do you know that expectations set you up for a future resentment? We expect to be treated properly...then when we aren't...we are disappointment, frustrated, aggrevated~ all of these emotions are a close relative to "anger".

Not that we should lower our expectations, but rather we should tell ourselves the truth. We have no control over what others say or do. We are not responsible for their actions, but we are responsible for our reactions...this is when we really know what we
ARE in control of ~ ourselves only! Then honestly it won't matter, because we accept
the truth and when the inevitable happens (when we area treated unjustly) it will have little effect on us.

I am a work in process and would love to not struggle over and over again with the same issue, but I choose to learn and grow each time. I had an incident a couple days ago. I skipped right to angry...I was communicating with someone who I thought did not act in a professional manner. Her lack of honesty was hurtful to me and I felt deceived. I wanted to retaliate and punish. Tell her how she did wrong. Instead I thanked her for her time and hung up the phone. Then I was left with the angry feelings inside that I resisted expressing toward her. This bothered me all day. I asked God to show me where I was wrong. I could justify my anger very easily, but I did not want to grow resentment. What was really going on here?

Later that day Hope and I sat down to read a "VeggieTale 365 Day Starter Devos for Girls" and I turned to the first one and it was about "Forgiveness". Bottom line ~ Forgive...In order to receive forgiveness we must forgive. I realized punishment is not what others need it is forgiveness and that is what I need.

Is there anyone who crosses your mind and when they linger there you find yourself
remembering how they hurt you? We have the power to forgive and it sets us free. It is
opposite of what we want to do when someone wrongs us, but it is not for us to punish and judge. We are not to worry about whether or not we are being treated justly. When we are obedient to God's way for us we will receive blessings...choose this day to forgive and receive the peace that passes all understanding.