Great Expectations...

It seems my thoughts keep returning to Great Expectations. No, not the book, the idea.
I've been thinking about how people have expectations of us and how we try to live up to them, even our own expectations of ourselves. People have expectations based on what they think they know about us and what they think we can accomplish. Some people think that people will live up to the expectations that we have of them (if we set the bar high, people will try harder, if we set the bar low, people will only attain that level of achievement). When and if we fail, the view people have of us is tainted, respect is lost and it's difficult to regain.
We want people to like us and respect us and to think highly of our abilities but really, is that realistic?
God knows us completely, He knows our skills and what we can do. If we fail, He has mercy and grace to forgive us and He's there to help us try again. His expectations are high but He's there to lean on and help us through.
I prefer to live up to His expectations and even fail and try again for Him because God is just and fair and His discipline, though hard, is always exactly right and consistent.
My Dad always quotes St. Augustine:
"Love God and do what you like"
because if you love Him, really love Him, you would only do what pleases Him and for no other reason. Not because someone's watching, or someone might think badly of me, just because it pleases Him and for no other reason.
When I remember that my self consciousness disappears and I can simply be who I am, because that's who He made me to be anyway.
I guess that's what He's been trying to tell me..."Who's expectations are you trying to live up to? Who's praise really matters? Who are you living for?"

Only Him.