“No expectations, no disappointments.” — I used to hear this saying so much growing up. People would write this on their social media statuses or captions. (I probably even did). There’s even a popular quote that says “Blessed is he who expects nothing; for he shall never be disappointed” by Alexander Pope.

“No expectations, no disappointments” seems to represent this idea that if you don’t expect good things, then you won’t be unhappy if they don’t happen. It acts as a sort of safeguard for your feelings, a way to avoid being let down when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s also the art of not worrying about things that you “cannot control”, but instead trying to embrace “living” in the present. 

But now that I look back, this was such a backwards way of thinking. It actually prevents you from believing that amazing things could happen in your life. It shrinks your vision. And in a way, it supports the idea that you are not worthy of those things – as if certain things are impossible or unachievable. In fact, it forces you to lower your standards (or expectations) and only leaves room for the bare minimum. 

When really, faith asks us to expect bigger and to hope anyway. You should expect more, so you can make room for more! Because God provides and He has the power to move mountains! 

Furthermore, this idea is the direct opposite of faith. Faith involves believing in something you have no control over – believing that everything will work out for the best, even when it doesn’t look like it.

In fact, expectations are a form of faith – it just takes it one step further. Faith is the belief that something COULD happen, while expectation is the anticipation that something WILL happen. It’s one thing to believe God CAN, but it’s another thing to know God WILL.  

Most importantly, faith and expectations influence our behaviors. Our faith (and expectations) guide our decisions, motivate our actions, and even alter our emotions. You start making decisions that align with your faith and expectations, thereby creating the environment for that outcome to occur. And when you walk in faith, it’s not just wishful thinking – it’s KNOWING and EXPECTING that God will provide. 

And when your faith and expectations are aligned, you build resilience. Once you decide that something is possible, and that ALL things are possible with God, you become unstoppable. No weapon formed against you will prosper. Your wildest dreams are inevitable, because God SAID SO. 

So in 2026, don’t limit your expectations or hold God back. Shift your mindset from believing that God CAN to expecting that God WILL.

TAKE AWAY:
Don’t shrink your expectations; stretch your faith instead.