Deferred Hope
Scripture:
Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Psalm 130:5
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
Reflection:
Today I fast from the wound of deferred hope.
What’s your experience with waiting? We all have them. Whether it’s waiting in line, waiting for a special event, waiting for the release of a new product,or any other number of things. Chances are you’re waiting for something now - maybe it’s something simple, but maybe it’s something big like healing, a new job, a home to call your own, or the birth of a child. Maybe you’ve been waiting so long that you’re tempted to just give up. That is the reality of deferred hope.
Like hopelessness that we discussed on Monday, deferred hope comes when we find ourselves waiting for something good but feel that it’s taking too long to come. Deferred hope comes before complete hopelessness, but if we’re not careful it can easily lead there. When we find ourselves in times of deferred hope we need to make verses such as Psalm 130:5 our constant companion. By reminding ourselves of God’s faithfulness, our hope in Christ, and instructing our own souls to continue waiting in hope we can live into the reality of God’s goodness here and now even as we wait for that reality to come more fully.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
What am I waiting for now? Am I waiting in hope or feeling the draw towards hopelessness?
When am I most tempted to give up on things that I’ve long hoped for?
Prayer:
Pray for the things that you, or those you know, are waiting for. Ask God to help you wait with firm hope. Thank God for the ways that you have experienced goodness and blessing and ask God to help you remember these blessings when you are tempted towards hopelessness.
These devotions have been adapted from “Lenten Healing: 40 Days to Set You Free from Sin” by Ken Kniepmann.
