Proverbs 13:12 – “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

As I was reading, praying, and pondering the Word, the thought of Hope tugged at my heart.   We all have hopes that are or have been fulfilled, delayed, or dashed.   Each of those has a lasting impact on our lives.

Proverbs 13:12 – “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”   In one translation, it is rendered, “When Hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.”

Delayed Hope can lead to deception and rejection of God.   It can lead to making rash decisions and pursuing fantasies to make Hope a reality. Proverbs 12:11 says, “…whoever chases daydreams lacks sense.”

As believers, our hope must be anchored in God and God alone.    It is a matter of trust.   He sees the end from the beginning, and we know the beginning from the end.    Our hopes must be based on His Word, not our preferences.

We all have hopes!   We all have preferences!   We all have ideas as to how and when things should happen!   The problem is handling God’s failure to meet our timelines and methods.   Delay is sometimes a test, not to show God our faith but for us to learn complete trust.

The 3 Hebrew children had total trust!  They said, “King, we belong to God. He can deliver us from your planned destruction. His ability is not in question. However, if, for whatever reason, He does not deliver us from the flames, we will continue to trust Him and will not succumb to your threats just to make life easier for us or for self-preservation.”

Hope is a wonderful motivator.  Hope needs to be anchored in God’s promises.   Hope that is God-inspired and Word-centered will build faith.   Hope that loses sight of God’s infallible integrity will become a cause of soul sickness.

It is possible to want something so much we convince ourselves that God promised it and tie our entire future to it.  We may cling to that hope irrationally or become discouraged, discontented, and angry.

A sick soul pollutes the pool we are swimming in.   God’s promises are certain.   Our Hope is Jesus!    If your hopes are delayed, two things need to happen.   First, examine the Hope.   Was it human fantasy and desire or God’s Promise? If it was human preference, reject all discouragement, disappointment, and anger.   If it was God’s Promise, repent for trying to help Him do His job and questioning His timing.

Hope is a powerful motivator.   False Hope is a trap that can lead to soul sickness and spiritual death.   Here’s what the Holy Spirit impressed upon me.

• Hope that is a fantasy is an open door to deception and discouragement.  It has no root in God’s Word and produces no good fruit.

•  Hope that is God-inspired and Word-centered produces faith, confidence, endurance, and life.

My Hope is in God and nothing else!   My Hope is not some external fruit that will fulfill my fantasy but in God.

If what you are hoping for is delayed, ask God if it was His promise or your preference that birthed the hope.   Never allow anything to cause you to develop soul sickness that questions or blames God.  May all your God Inspired Hopes become God-fulfilled Realities!

God bless you as you live each day with God-inspired Hope!