By Jenn Weiser
2 Kings 5:1
“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.”
Naaman, was able to go to Elisha the prophet that he may be healed of his leprosy. When Naaman arrives at Elisha’s house, Elisha sends a messenger out to tell Naaman, (2 Kings 5:10) “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”
2 Kings 5: 11-12
“But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not the Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the water of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So, he turned and went away in rage.”
Did you catch the expectation that Naaman had of how the healing would take place …the expectation of what he thought was supposed to happen? With that expectation and things not going exactly the way he had thought it was supposed to be, he got mad and angry and stormed off in a tantrum. Was he told that he wasn’t going to be healed?
Our thoughts can often be skewed by our expectations. Expectation can be a belief of what might or might not happen in a situation. We can come up with numerous scenarios of how a situation is going to play out, what words we are going to use, how the other person or persons will react or what they will say. Then those feelings and emotions turn into worry, anxiety, or anger over something that may or may not happen. We get ourselves so worked up by something that isn’t even necessary. When we become engrossed in our own thoughts and ways of thinking, it turns our minds and hearts away from what God has planned for us and what He expects of us.
Isaiah 55:8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”
Back to the question …was Naaman told that he wasn’t going to be healed? No, he was told how to be healed. Naaman wasn’t obedient in listening to the message that was given to him because of his thought of expecting what was going to happen.
2 Kings 5: 13-14
“But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” So, he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”
However, because of his faithful servants talking him out of his tantrum, he was then able to receive the blessing of the message. Is this applicable in our lives today? At first sight of our expectations not being met, we can get out of control either inward or outward, letting fear, anger and anxiety control our thoughts and actions. Then that voice of reason comes to the surface, making us listen to the message that was given. Thank goodness for Naaman’s faithful servants!
How can we be faithful servants despite our expectations?
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
God has already told us how to be faithful servants. If we read the pages of His Word wholeheartedly, it will teach us how to equip ourselves and how to help others follow God’s will for our lives and to bring glory to Him by doing so.
Psalm 73:16-17
But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I discerned their end.
Take your wearisome expectations to God and let Him sort it out, and there will be peace waiting for you.