"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple." Psalm 27:4

I deeply treasure my alone time with God. There is intimacy in the secret place that cannot be replicated. Yet, there is also something uniquely precious about gathering with the body of Christ. When I worship beside fellow believers, I am strengthened because their faith stirs mine, and their praise reminds me that I am not walking this journey alone. We need one another.

David's desire was not merely for a place, but for presence. He desired to dwell and abide in the house of the Lord. That same longing should guide us when we gather as the church. We do not come simply out of habit, nor for inspiration alone, but with hearts inclined toward encounter.

We do not go to church to be entertained; we go to church to entertain the presence of God.

And yet, remember-we are the church. We carry Jesus into a broken world wherever we go. Our gatherings should shape our expectations, not dull them.

Many of us genuinely believe God is able.

We believe He can heal.

We believe He can save.

We believe He can deliver, provide, and lead us according to His will.

But here is the deeper question: Do we expect Him to?

Believing vs. Expecting

Believing acknowledges God's power.

Expecting anticipates God's movement.

Belief says, "I know God can." It is a theological agreement to scripture.

Expectation says, "I am watching for Him to do it; it is active faith.

Having expectation changes how we pray, how we worship, and how we wait.

Express to the Lord, "I believe You can (fill in the blank) and I have an expectation that You will (fill in the blank) according to Your word that is forever settled in heaven. Also, I encourage you to study the Word of God and write down every scripture that pertains to your specific prayers and read them aloud when you pray.

Every day I strive to have an undeniable expectation that something miraculous is going to take place. Honestly, I have butterflies in my stomach when I think about the power of God. I never want to grow weary of God's majesty and desire to stand in awe of Him always. Let expectation be shaped by truth, not emotion.