In life there are things we hope for. Things that we think are important to us, and would help us have a better life…a happier life…perhaps even a life with less struggle.
We hope that we can get a better job to provide for our family better. We hope to get out of poverty. We hope to overcome addictions that plague our family. We hope to find God’s husband/wife and to live fruitful lives with them. We hope to have a family of our own. We hope to have better health. We hope to have a real significant impact on the world around us for the Kingdom of God. We hope to see our family be prosperous and in good health. We hope….we hope…and we hope!!!
But what happens when our hope never eventuates, or when it seems to literally be taking forever?
Well…the short answer is that is hurts. And it just doesn’t hurt our surface emotions. The prolonged wait for a hope can lead to real depression and despair. The constant setbacks, denials and failures weigh heavy on us.
So what does the Bible have to say about this???
(art by Schism)
Quite a bit actually…
First we need to look at, and answer the question - “What is Hope?”.
In the New Testament context, ‘Hope’ is often seen as… “a confident expectation that the thing promised, or desired, will come to fruition, that it will happen”.
Note this is not the current fad of “Manifesting Your Destiny” that is going around in social media and the self-help guru’s. That is straight up mirroring new age philosophies and beliefs. You cannot manifest your destiny or things to happen in your life - you are not God. So, it is a false and hollow belief to cling to.
What that means is that ‘hope’ is irrevocably linked with ‘faith’.
Hebrews 11:1 lets us know that… “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”
Again in Hebrews we find that… “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36). - not all of God’s promises to us are for this life. All too often we get stuck on promises HE has given us, both personally and through HIS word that they must be filled in the timeframe we want, and that they must be fulfilled in this life. We need to be patient and endure the things of this life, so that when we enter into the next life (either through death, or HIS return) - ALL his promises are fulfilled in our lives.
The Apostle Paul talks about this in Romans 8:24 where he says, “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?”
Paul’s points hit hard. If we can see it happening, we aren’t hoping it will happen - we already know it is going to happen because we are seeing it play out. That isn’t hope, nor does it take any faith.
We only hope for the things we cannot see happening, we only place our faith in that space of unknowingness.
However, when it comes to having hope in certain things happening in our lifetime it can be tricky. Especially when the things we hope for are not coming to fruition, and don’t look like they ever will.
Proverbs 13:12 says - “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”
The Hebrew word for ‘deferred’ is ‘masak’ (pronounced maw-shah) - it means that something is drawn out, or extended, to prolong, or even to scatter and draw away from.
In a more modern context, we see deferment as putting something aside to deal with another day - such as ‘a bank payment has been deferred to such and such a time’.
In both cases the expected event or situation is not happening in the present. But it is possible for it to happen in the future.
The problem we have is that as time goes on, and we do not even see the beginning of what we hope for taking shape - we get discouraged and start to despair over it. The problem with that is we are not placing our faith in God, and we are solely being driven by our emotions in that moment.
The impact of that emotional burden and turmoil is that it “makes the heart sick” - meaning it leads to depression and anxiety.
When that situation or event is held back, we often feel what Job expresses in Job 17:15 “Where then is my hope? Can anyone find it?” We often become hopeless because of our situation. We see our lives as not being right where we want them to be.
So, what are we to do when our hearts and minds are broken over the deferment of a hope of ours?
Psalm 25:5 says “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”
When all our hope in seeing things happen in our lives is gone, we can stop trying to make it happen ourselves. We can actually set aside our pride, our own strength and our own understanding and go “Okay God, I’ve done my best - it’s not happening - now it’s all yours.”
We need to be guided by the truth which is found in God’s Word and enable the Holy Spirit to teach us about how God wants to save us and to provide for us whatever is in HIS will for our lives.
Sometimes we hope for good things for our lives, but they might not be God’s will for your life. That is something that you really need to consider and earnestly pray about. If God reveals it through HIS Holy Spirit that what you are hoping for is from HIM, and part of HIS will for your life - then hold tightly onto that hope. If not…well that’s the hard part…you actually need to let go of that before it leads you to greater heartbreak, and it hinders our ability to move in HIS will for our lives.
I pray that God brings about the promised blessing to you. I pray that HE also give you the strength and wisdom to endure until HE does fulfil them. I also pray that HE helps you to release anything that is not from HIM. May you be blessed in these days.