Expectations Kill Relationships

Author Ann Voskamp, in her book, One Thousand Gifts, says "Expectations kill relationships-especially with God." Today, my second-born son, Stephen would have been 22 years old. He was born on April 30th and he died the same day. I, like any mother-to-be, had expectations. God shattered them all that day in the finality of death. But these were my expectations, not based on any promise of God. I had a choice then; to either sever this relationship with God (based on what I perceived to be His inability to fulfill my expectations) or relinquish those same expectations in acceptance and find not only peace, but joy in that relationship. Each time, in any and every relationship, the choice is the same: demand my will be done and kill the relationship or die to my will (and expectations) and be surprised by joy.

Is the problem Hollywood?

Years ago I read that Christians are just 5 years behind the world in accepting what they accept. At first I thought the author was ridiculous, but as I really began to think about it, and watch the people I knew to be professing Christians (including myself), I saw that he was right. The problem is not Hollywood and all the trash they produce. Why are we surprised that non Christians are producing non Christian entertainment? Rather, the problem is us, the church of Jesus Christ. We are not being who we are called to be. Holy as God Himself is holy. We are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). We are called to meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure and lovely (Philippians 4:8). Are we? Or are we "entertaining ourselves to death" as the following article by Franklin Graham suggests?
http://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/april-2014/hollywood-entertaining-ourselves-to-death/

Evidence

Yesterday, as I drove around town, I saw Forsythia bushes in all their glorious bloom! I felt such joy because it was evidence that spring is indeed here. The calendar had announced spring weeks ago, but this yellow flower was unmistakable evidence that it is spring. What was once dormant is now alive!

The calendar is also telling me that Easter is this coming Sunday. A celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The One who was in the tomb is now alive and living inside me. Like the Forsythia bush, I was once dormant. When the seed of God was planted in me, I sprang to life. But what evidence is there?  The following article speaks of persecuted Christians. What impacted me was the common characteristics that the persecuted believers share. One is that there is no fear left in them and the other is joy. Joy is the mark - or evidence of the Holy Spirit.
http://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/september-2013/holding-nothing-back/