So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River.

Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.

 2 Kings 5:9-12

One day a heroic, Syrian general named Naaman looked in the mirror and saw spots. Leprosy was the most feared disease of his time, and he had been afflicted. Even a man with immense political power was not immune to such a horrific disease, and his future looked bleak. He would lose his highly-respected position as the commander of the king’s army. He would be banished from society. So when Naaman heard that the prophet Elisha could heal him, he set out to find him. When he arrived at Elisha’s door, rather than meeting this hero face to face, Elisha sent a messenger with the message for Elisha to take seven baths in the muddy Jordan River. If he did that, he would be healed. Thanks to the encouragement of Naaman’s officers, he was ultimately healed just as Elisha had said, but his pride nearly blocked him from experiencing God’s power and healing. His expectations almost ruined everything. Naaman expected a face to face hero’s welcome; he got a message instead. He expected fanfare, the royal treatment, the waving of hands and calling on the name of Elisha’s God; he was told to go bathe instead. 

Do you ever do the same thing when people disappoint you? When you put your own expectations on other people, you will inevitably be disappointed and upset with the outcome. When the efforts of others don’t align with the story in your head, like Naaman, you may become angry and walk away. Perhaps you even do that to God! When you pray, do you tell Him how your prayers should be answered? You should definitely wait expectantly for God to answer your prayers, but when He doesn’t move in the way you expect, you may believe He isn’t moving at all. It takes great humility to surrender your will to God. It takes the laying down of your pride and your expectations of the way you think things should go, before you can see God working in His way according to His plan in your life. When you put your expectations on God or on other people, not only do you end up perpetually disappointed, but you also risk damaging relationships and missing out on God’s best for your life. God’s blessings are never found in pride or independence or in your own strong will. God’s blessings are found in your obedience. No fanfare, no waving of hands—but when God tells you to take a bath, take a bath.

You are loved!

Do you ever do the same thing when people disappoint you? When you put your own expectations on other people, you will inevitably be disappointed and upset with the outcome. When the efforts of others don’t align with the story in your head, like Naaman, you may