My friend Kim Gorsuch asked me to write a guest post for her website www.weeva.com. I’ve included the first few paragraphs here. There’s a link at the bottom so you can read the rest of the story:When I think about the people who have shaped my character, I immediately think of my late grandfather, Constantin Marinescu from whom I learned the powerful virtues of “patience” and “perseverance.” My grandfather waited for 50 years for the Americans to come to Romania. A young man during World War II, my grandfather prayed with millions of Romanians that the Americans would come and bring freedom and democracy in Romania. His dreams and hopes were dashed when Roosevelt and Churchill conceded Eastern Europe to Stalin as a result of the Yalta Conference at the beginning of 1944.
Instead of the Americans, the Russians came and brought with them Communism. For five decades, my grandfather continued to pray and hope that the Americans would someday come. My grandfather persevered against much hardship. Much of his land and property were confiscated. My grandfather waited patiently year after year, decade after decade.
Finally, in 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe. The winds of change swept the country of Romania and brought with them the first American missionaries. Some of them had the chance to meet my grandfather who welcomed them with tears of joy and gratitude. Fifty years later, my grandfather’s perseverant and patient prayers were finally answered. The Americans did come. Constantin Marinescu’s dreams came true.
Here I am 20 years later, living in America, practicing the virtues that I learned from my grandfather. You might ask, what is the difference between “patience” and “perseverance?”
]]>The more I experience life, the more I understand the truth behind the Bard of Avon’s words. I am learning to expect less and less of people and more and more of God. As a matter of fact, when it comes to people, I replace expectation with preference. I prefer this and that as opposed to expecting this or that.
My sagacious friend in West Texas, Homer, has been applying this discursive strategy in his interactions with, and sense making of, people for decades. He perpetually has a smile on his face. When most would take offense or be disappointed by a failed “expectation,” Homer chuckles, brushes things off, and caries on with peace in his heart.
The cure to all heartache: expect everything from/of God and nothing from/of people. There will be no more disappointment. God will always meet and exceed all expectations. And, hopefully more often than not, people will serendipitously surprise when preferences are satisfied. This way, people will never disappoint for there is nothing expected from or of them. If a preference is not met, we can chuckle and smile with peace in our hearts.
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” (Psalm 62:5)
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
“Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
He remains faithful forever.” (Psalm 146:3-6)