Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
•HOPE; hope, expectation, trust, confidence. A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
•DEFERRED; defer, delay, postpone, hold back or put off.
Hope is a good thing. Without hope, we’d be desperate for answers. Without it we’d be longing for change. We wouldn’t have peace that at some point, it’s going to get better.
When all hope is crushed, your heart is crushed and you probably aren’t seeing God’s providence. So, in the midst of your wait, we have to keep hope alive, otherwise we get angry and blame God for whatever we’re waiting for impatiently.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Roman’s 12:12
In every single situation, we can find hope. Sometimes the end result may seem dim, but keep in mind that God isn’t finished with the plans yet.
As a family, we are recently going through something difficult, and although it’s hard to see the end of this painful journey, we have hope that God is doing something amazing.
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
1 Peter 3:15
In this particular verse, Peter reminds us to be ready to answer this question; “How can you be so hopeful in such difficult circumstances?”
I’ve had people ask about my hope when I speak about it during difficult times, because even in the midst of our suffering, our hopefulness should be apparent.
It’s our way to make a case for Christ and the hope found only through faith in him. I want others to see and know that hope.
We may not always be joyful of the circumstances, but we should have hope.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
When I am surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe.
Psalm 138:7
Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air…but only for one second without hope. -Hal Lindsey
The biggest reason for our hope, is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that one day we will be with Christ for all eternity. That makes everything worth the wait.
In the meantime, we’re walking a journey here waiting patiently for Christs return. In Ephesians we’re told that we are sealed with Christ until the day of redemption.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30
Whether we are rejoicing or mourning, discouraged, fearful, worried, exhausted, broken or unsure of our future…we can hold fast to hope and I believe this next scripture sums up why.
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1
There in lies our hope… we are His!
Many Blessings,
Connie
