We know that we put expectations on other people, and they put expectations on us. And we know that we put expectations on God...but does he put expectations on us? You may be thinking, “If so, he’s going to really need to edit his expectations, because I know I can’t live up to whatever he has in mind!” However, what if what God expects isn’t for us to be flawless, but to simply be faithful?

“Isn’t God supposed to come through for me? This isn’t what I expected.” We’ve all been here before—wondering why things are so hard and why God isn’t delivering like he should. But when we put our faith in God, we can trust that the detours he leads us on are divinely inspired, and that they will ultimately lead to the outcome we would choose if we knew what he knows.

We have expectations for the people around us—that they will react a certain way, that they will build us up, that they will fulfill our needs. But of course, no one can actually live up to all the lofty expectations we set. And when they don’t, relationships get ruined. So, what can we do to edit our expectations to find true fulfillment in our relationships?

As we “mint and spend” the currency of gratitude to God and to the people in our life, we see a miracle take place. Not only do we never go bankrupt—we become richer! God takes our spirit of gratitude and works with it to transform the way we see everything in our life, giving us a priceless outlook that no amount of money in the world can buy. That is the power of gratitude.

Gratitude isn’t thank you notes or fruit baskets. It’s not something that we can check off a to-do list. It’s a way of life that is birthed by recognizing all God has done for us. But do we recognize God’s goodness by just “paying him back?” No! Like any good father, God wants us to “spend” our love and show our gratitude to his children—the people he’s placed in our lives.