Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Hope is a feeling of expectancy with the belief of grand things to come.
It is a corner stone in order to stay grounded in times of struggle, knowing that this too shall pass.
It is a map with directions to reach breakthroughs.
This is my definition of hope.
I literally cling to hope just as a small child clings to his mothers leg.
To give you a visual close your eyes and picture a child with their arms and legs wrapped around their mothers leg as she attempts to walk across the floor. Can you see her dragging her leg with her child basically sitting on her foot?
That is me and hope.
I cling to her and sit on her foot with all my limbs clutching around her. However there have been times I did not do such a good job of holding on to hope. Times when I haven fallen and have had to crawl my way back to her digging in with all that I have.
What does "hope deferred" mean?
Proverbs is telling me when my hope for something is taking a long time to come to fruition or when it seems to be dragging, the time of waiting can be very sad or disappointing.It makes me wonder at times if God is ever going to full fill my dreams or request. And then my questions of why begin.
When I allow my hope to become deferred is when , just as Proverbs states, my heart becomes sick.
My focus is shifted from the tree of life, Jesus, and now sits in despair.
When I see my hope fulfilled, I see Jesus, working on my behalf.
So what's my point?
When things are delayed in life, it is HOPE I must cling to.
My timing is not God's timing and He knows best.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
1 Corinthians 2:9
But it is written:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
Waiting on the right time for my dreams to come to pass, promises fulfilled, and blessing brought forth should not hinder my ability to hold on and wait.
Hope NOT deferred becomes a anchor in my life.
It allows me to hold fast regardless of what storm is blowing in my life.
It holds hands with trust, trust in my daddy God, giving me the strength to remain steadfast even when I truly want to just fall apart.
I know first hand how hard it can be in the natural to cling to hope, there are times when I am holding on with nothing but the tips of my fingers.
But I also know how sick my heart can become without hope.
Heart sick filled with negativity is miserable and who truly wants to become a life long "Negative Nelly", a "Debbie Downer" or a "Whiny Wilma"?
I have found holding, clinging and wrapping my self in hope, my bad days are not as bad and my good days are even better.
As I hold on to hope in this new season of my life I want to encourage you to so so as well.
Hold on to hope.
For healing and renewal.
Hope for restoration and change.
For grand things to come!!
xoxo
Stacey
I loved this post..it really spoke to me.
ReplyDeleteYour definition of HOPE I have written into my prayer journal as it is perfect for me too.
The verse from 1 Cor 2.9 first came to me on New Year's Day this year and has come multiple times during this year, and it has raised my expectancy and level of HOPE.
God bless you and may all you HOPE for come to pass in His perfect way in His perfect timing.