One of my favorite Professors at BBC is Dr. Don McCall. Those of us in his program affectionately call him “P.D.” or “Pastor Don.” I had the privilege of serving in ministry with PD during my Freshman Year of College, and there is one phrase he repeated to us over and over that has stayed with me.

                            “Expectations destroy gratefulness.”

What does that mean? Well, exactly what it says. It is no more simple or complicated than it sounds.

                                           “Expectations destroy gratefulness.”

I have thought about that a lot this last week. See the phrase has been so cemented in my brain this last year, and I have used it when admonishing friends, or the teens in my youth group. But never before had I really allowed the concept to apply to my own life.

                                                              “Expectations destroy gratefulness…”

Finally, I am beginning to understand just how my expectations of people, or classes, or ministries have caused me to demand certain things out of my experiences. When, the reality of the situation is, God is the one who has sovereignly ordered my life and my experiences to teach me what He wants.

Why does it always take me so long to catch those things? I don’t know, but thankfully God has me here where I can be under the influence of people like Pastor Don. So, thanks PD!