Expectations, Disappointments, & Perspectives

Psalm 100:5, Psalms 106, 107, 118: "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Matthew 5:7 " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

Ephesians 4:32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you."

Luke 17:4 "If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

 1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
 4 But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant[a] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
   “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left."
Jonah 4:1-10

In human relationships we may develop expectations of a person, or people, as was Jonah's case. We may have a plan for that person, and when it doesn't happen the way we wanted it to, disappointment and anger can set in, followed by unforgiveness, setting up the root of bitterness to grow, which could choke off the Lord's plan. I recently had to face a situation where unfulfilled expectations I had of another person set up this exact scenario. It was only after the Lord used a close friend to point out this fact: We are to deal with others the way God sees us and deals with us- with lovingkindness, being tenderhearted, always seeing our talents, gifts, and goodness. If this is the way my Father deals with me, and my life at times had grieved and disappointed Him, but He throws my sins into the bottomless ocean of His great love and has puts up a sign that reads "NO FISHING", how can I not deal with others the same? Today, beloved, wield love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace. We have been forgiven much, let us deal with others likewise.
His banner over us is LOVE.