Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
I am not a huge fan of roller coasters. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the moderate rides with a few twists and turns, but the roller coasters that suddenly drop you 100 feet with no warning are a bit much. Those kind of rides are enough to send my stomach straight through my chest!
The more I think about it, sometimes our circumstances can throw our hearts into a jolting ride, leaving us clinging to our seats and holding on for dear life.
Have you ever had your heart set on accomplishing a lifelong goal or desire, only to have that dream shatter into pieces? We’ve all had those kinds of dreams. Dreams of a fairy tale marriage that ended in a broken engagement…Dreams of blissful motherhood—all to be faced with infertility…Dreams of the perfect career—all to discover the of drudgery of debt…
Sometimes our hearts wait in eager expectation for a dream to be fulfilled like the winding uncertainty of a roller coaster ride. Our hopes rise. The anticipation grows as we ascend higher and higher, until we reach the peak of the ride when we realize that our hopes are met with bitter disappointment.
Our hearts plummet into a downward spiral, and our dreams are dashed to the ground. We grow faint; unsettled; queasy. The devastation of disappointment makes us sick to our stomachs.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick…
When our hope is deferred, delayed, or postponed, we lose heart. We begin to wonder if our longing for love and significance will ever be fulfilled. But we often find ourselves putting our hope in the wrong things. Relationships. Romance. Revenue. Real estate. We all know deep down that we cannot find true fulfillment in these things.
But why are we so discouraged when they fail us?
Real hope is much more than mere wishful thinking. It is the firm, confident conviction in Someone who is completely trustworthy. The only One who fits this description is God Almighty. All other counterfeits fall desperately short.
Here are four pillars of truth that our hearts can forever depend on.
Our hope is in:
1. The God of the universe (Psalm 42:5)
2. His unchanging word (Psalm 119:74)
3. His unfailing love (Psalm 147:11)
4. The glorious appearing of Christ (Titus 2:11-14)
A hope that is placed in anything other than our Sovereign Savior will leave our hearts sick, aching and bleeding. Like the unraveling seams of a cheap garment, the hope of this world will leave us undone, exposing our hearts to the devastating pangs of disappointment.
But when we clothe ourselves with the hope of Christ, we will stand firm, tall, and unshaken; like a towering tree firmly planted by flowing streams.
…a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.
Have you placed your complete hope in God today? Have you given over the deepest longings of your heart to him? Put your hope in him, and he will never disappoint you. This does not mean that we will not face disappointments by others. This sinful world will still inflict pain. But when your heart grows weary, put your hope in the truth of God’s unfailing love.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31
May this hope be the anchor for your soul; firm, strong, and secure (Heb 6:19).
…those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
Isaiah 49: 23b
What hope does your heart rest in? Let me know in the comments below!
