“Handling Expectations”

(Philippians 3:14–16 ✝️ | Philippians 4:8–9 ✝️)

Father in Heaven,
I pray in Jesus Christ✝️ name
that as Your 🕊️Holy Spirit moves between 👍🏾us🕊️ today,
You steady our minds
for the work,
the walk,
and the expectations ahead.

Lord, teach 🕊️us👍🏾
To Lead:
With courage but without ego,
conviction without pride,
and Your✝️ love that cast out fear
Fear of creepy mindsets about Your✝️ Love
Fear of what the consequences of Your✝️ Love
Means for 👍🏾us🕊️
But instead that which is biblical
So that whenever things do become more legit
We won’t regret
We won’t resent
We’ll problem solve to resolve
God✝️ you know I’m not crazy
Just real

So, Lord✝️ Teach 🕊️us👍🏾
not only to withstand expectations,
but to handle them
with grace.

And now Lord —
add as well success to the understanding to our spi elp 🕊️us👍🏾 embrace
the purpose behind our success,
because expectations
always travel with purpose.

Teach us not to let
the pressure of success
suffocate us—
those seasons when we are consistent,
diligent,
faithful,
on a streak 👍🏾—
and suddenly find ourselves
craving an inferior life
that once left us empty,
miserable,
and tired at the end of the thrill.

In those moments we whisper,
“I can’t take it anymore…”
So Lord✝️, help us ask why.
And if needed,
let someone we trust
ask us the same question.

Because success has a structure—
and every part of that structure
had a purpose behind it
that made us successful.
Help 🕊️us👍🏾 honor that.

And Father—
remind 🕊️us👍🏾 to return
to our first Love
for the work.
How did we get here?
What lit the fire in us?
What kept us going?
And what will keep us now?

Teach 🕊️us👍🏾 to revisit
the motivation
that was holy in the beginning—
the part of us that loved the work
because it honored You.

Let that first Love guide us
as we handle
every expectation ahead.

And now, Lord,
as this day closes its eyes
and we prepare to do the same,
let Philippians 4:8–9
shape our last thoughts tonight—
not the stress,
not the noise,
not the unfinished pieces—
but the truth,
the peace,
and the goodness
You called us to meditate on.

Let the God of peace
settle over 🕊️us👍🏾
like a gentle covering,
steadying our breath,
quieting our spirit,
and guiding our rest
as surely as You guide our steps.

Give us unity in our thoughts,
discipline in our hearts,
and Love like God✝️
in the deepest parts of who we are.

Teach us to handle expectations
even as we sleep—
in truth,
in love,
in unity,
in You✝️.

And as we lie down, Father,
fulfill Your promise from Proverbs 3:24:
that when we lay down,
our sleep shall be sweet.

So, good night Lord✝️.
Good night Jesus✝️.
Good night Holy Spirit🕊️.
And good night to 🕊️—
rested, kept,
held in peace,
and prepared for a better tomorrow
than today.

In Jesus Christ✝️ name,
Amen.