Haggai 1:9 -- On Expectations and Priorities

"Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house."
Haggai 1:9


Doesn't this just seem like the way life feels sometimes?  We want something big, and it just doesn't work out the way we wanted it to.  I don't think that life is always that way, or that God is always actively limiting our success, but at least in this historical case, God had a hand in it because he wanted the people to start thinking of something outside themselves, to remember God and prioritize that relationship.  ... That isn't God being more self-centered than anyone. :)  That is God reminding us that he is there to help, and that he knows the way and we don't.  He's trying to help us, but when we focus on ourselves, everything else goes out of focus and we're going to lose sight of a lot of important things.

Today, let's make sure that we're setting realistic expectations with the Lord in mind. :)  Let's make sure that we put the Lord first, and consider the needs of others rather than just ourselves.