Always loved

Most of us sometimes dream about achieving success and wealth. We dream of a life with no material concerns, of living in absolute freedom – but can we really achieve happiness through success and wealth? As many have already experienced, the answer is no. Our happiness is not proportional to our success or income. Instead, we often end up in an endless chase that leads to disappointment rather than fulfillment.

What is your own expectation when it comes to obtaining a good and happy life?

Of course, we have to earn money to provide for ourselves and our families. I’ve met many seafarers and fishers who work hard to do exactly that. If we don’t have the necessary income, it has consequences for our living conditions, our children’s education, and other fundamental aspects of life. My aim is not to challenge the importance of this basic need.

The echo of love

My point is that material safety, although important, is not enough to create a happy life. All experience points to this basic fact. The experience of happiness and meaning is connected to the experience of love. Giving your family the best possible material foundation is good, but it is not enough. Give them your love as well, and you’ll be sowing something much more fundamental in their lives. The echo of love is happiness. Love spreads like ripples in a pond and it gives a person a firm foundation to stand on. It is fulfilling to feel loved and wanted, and to mean something to another person.

The poorest people in the world are those who do not experience love.

Many seafarers often feel alone. They have to deal with long periods of work, and they face challenges that others don’t. I’ve talked to seafarers who only sail because they must. They’ve often told me that they long for control over their own lives. Of course, this is not the case for all seafarers, but it is a perspective that should not be suppressed.

Humility leads to relief

Most of us probably know the fear of losing control in life. The more control the better, we might think. But this simply isn’t true. There are many aspects of life that we can’t control. Anything can happen to us at all times. A lack of control can make us anxious and worried, but it can also make us long for God. A loss of control can become an invitation from God to rely on his presence and love in our lives. The realization that we are unable to control everything creates humility. Humility is one of the most beautiful virtues. Being humble means that we can neither be corrupted by wealth nor destroyed by shame. Being humble is to know who and what you are – a human being who needs someone greater than yourself to make it in life – and that someone is God.

He always forgives

What can you really expect from God? The answer is simple: That his son, Jesus Christ, is who he says he is: The way, the truth, and the life.

You can expect Jesus to never reject you but always forgive you. You can expect that your prayers will be heard, and that you will never carry your burdens alone. You can expect him to give rest to the restless, and you can expect him to always be there with you when your days are dark. You can expect guidance in life, and that he will be there waiting for you with open arms when this life comes to an end.

But the strongest expectation you can have is that he will always love you. His love will quench your thirst and end your hunger. When you feel unworthy, he will love you. When everything fails, when everyone turns their back on you, when you feel like you are falling, you can expect him to catch you and take you into his arms and his heart.

Most Christians have faced the feeling that Jesus didn’t live up to their expectations. When we pray, we often have a fixed idea of how he should respond and what the solution should be. This often leaves us with the feeling that we are not heard and that nothing ever happens. But don’t be too quick to judge. There is nothing in life you can trust more than God’s promise to you. This truth is clearly expressed in Psalm 5 in the Old Testament:

“In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

If we wait with expectation, he will answer us, although the answer might not be what we expect. When our experience of Jesus clashes with our own expectations, it is not Jesus who is the problem. He always knows what is best for us, and we can always expect love from him. He walks with us through all things in life. No matter your situation, you can trust in Jesus. •