The art of Expectation II

Dreaming into Process

Expectancy is amazing. I remember the weeks running up to flying out to the States, I don’t think there is anything quite like feeling expectant for a move of God in your life. There is nothing that matching the feeling that your world is about to be turned upside down. I imagine that it’s the feeling that astronauts have before lift off.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Astronauts have an understanding of what’s about to happen. Through many hours of training, preparation and expectancy, they’ve built an imagine in their mind about what next minute after take off, and beyond is going to look like. They’ve allowed themselves to dream, and now, it’s time for it to happen.

Sometimes all we need is permission to let our dreams happen. We need permission to go beyond dreaming, and into the process.

Process.

This state that we enter as we approach the breakthrough that we’ve been hoping and dreaming for.

A word you’ll hear used thousand’s of times during first year. It’s a place that says “I’m okay not to be okay, i’m in process”. It’s in this place that I’d like to talk about expectations. How do we have healthy expectation in process? When everything around seems to be uncertain and new?

Engaging with process didn’t at all feel natural to me when I came to First Year. Why would I want to go near pain, it didn’t make sense that I wouldn’t run from problems. Thing is, expectation and process go hand in hand.

You cannot avoid the process if you’re going to be expectant. Why? Because as soon you approach your point of expectation, you begin process.

Process is unavoidable. Process is also unbelievably healthy.

In order to allow our dreams to happen, we must be okay to let go of our safety net of expectations that you’ve built and throw yourself headfirst into process.

The comes a point where you have to let go of expectation, and I think that’s the true art. You have to be able to let go of what you’ve built in your mind and give Jesus the space to build something bigger.

Understanding the balance between allowing yourself to be expectant and being where you are is a tidy one to find. Being present, whilst still allowing yourself space to dream is one of the most important skills you will ever learn.

Giving yourself the space to learn this skill is vital. You learn to walk this line through disappointment and victory. It’s not easy and the thing is, you have to let yourself dream into order to fine where the line is.

Sometimes, your dreams are going to be so far outside of the current normal that you’re living in, and so different to the process that you’re currently in, that they become a totally abstract thought in your mind. At this point, engage with your process, deal with your insecurities and problems, dive head long into your process.

Do not let your dreams die because your in a temporary state of dealing with your process. Your dreams should lead you into process, not lead you away from them.

Be where you are right now. Being present is just as important as being hopeful. There is so much breakthrough for you in this season, even before BSSM starts. Don’t partner with the lie that you’re only going to grow when school starts.

You’ve got time before school to work out what process looks like for you. Identify when you’re in the middle of it. Write it down, work it through, you’ll be able to manage the first few weeks a lot easier if you already know what it looks like for you to be in that place.

-Matt Higham (Creative Director and Founder of Student Billboard)