The Increase Sample

JOSH McCOWN

DIFFERENT THAN I THOUGHT

Have you ever found yourself placing unrealistic expectations on people? We do that in our friendships, our employee relationships, and our marriages. Most of the time we don’t even know we’re doing it. And unfortunately, we can also place unrealistic expectations on God. To be honest, it’s a really easy thing to do.

We can come to expect Him to fulfill our future goals, results, and hoped-for outcomes. We dream of the results, and we expect Him to bring into existence what we already see. At best, it’s near-sighted. At worst, it’s idolatry.

The future I expected was to play for one NFL team for years, enjoying a long and successful career in one city. Funny how things don’t always work out the way you think.

As you read those stories in Matthew 4:18-25, it’s nearly impossible to miss Jesus' invitation to follow Him. That invitation has always challenged me. It’s such a “today only” thing. It strips away any expectations I have for the future, and invites me to go where Jesus goes today.

Today only.

I’d so much rather follow Jesus and know what tomorrow will look like. But that foresight isn't part of His invitation.

In 2012 I was out of the game. And during that downtime, I heard Jesus calling me to follow Him. Rather than wait around for an unrealistic expectation (playing in the NFL again) to be realized, I moved back home and volunteered to coach the high school football team. I died to my own hopes and expectations and simply followed Him.

You won't believe what happened next.

I invite you to head over to The Increase to hear how God scripted something I could never have written. My life and career have proven over and over again that God works in ways that are always different than I thought. And the one thing He asks of me is simple, but never easy. . . .

Follow Him.