From Hope Deferred to Dreams Fulfilled

Proverbs 13:12 ~ Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

We are all longing or hoping for something. We hope for a better job, a mate (or a better mate), financial blessings, healing from an illness, etc. It is this hope that usually sustains and drives us to keep going each day, purposefully pursuing our heart’s desires. But what happens when those desires go unfulfilled for too long and hope begins to dwindle? For many, the delay or God’s no causes heartache, depression, and unfortunately even suicide. It seems that suicide is so much more prevalent these days. We see it happening with actors, preachers, “successful” business people, youth, middle age and senior adults alike. People are losing hope.

I have to admit that there have been times that I have been so frustrated and heart broken about a dream unfulfilled. My desire for the relationship I wanted but did not have caused me to be literally sick, physically, emotionally and spiritually. There were days that I didn’t want to get out of the bed and if I could get away with it, I didn’t get up. I would cover my head with the blanket and just cry until I went back to sleep again. I felt like my heart was one big open wound, raw and bloody from the cuts and bruises against it. When I had to get up, I would put the mask on and go out and try to present myself to the world as this strong, spiritual, professional woman, while all the while crumbling inside. I didn’t know what to do with all the pain, hurt, anger and guilt that had built up inside me. I was losing hope.

Thankfully, God renewed and continues to renew my spirit. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit keeps me with a desire to hear God’s voice. That’s where I find peace. In God’s presence is where the pain didn’t hurt so badly. But it’s a constant battle. For me, it’s been a battle against depression. Depression can be caused by hormonal imbalances or related to a mental illness. However, for many, depression is a result of lost hope; that dream going unfulfilled. But I would like to encourage you to not lose hope. Trust that God’s delay or even His no is because He has something better for you or you are still in the preparation stage. Take the focus off yourself and place it on God. Psalm 37:4 states “delight yourself in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart.” Trust that if you do your part, putting God first, that God will do His part and your dreams will be fulfilled and it will be beyond anything that you could think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Prayer: Lord, help us to not become heart sick, depressed or suicidal when the things that we are hoping for are deferred. We pray that we will turn towards You and not away. That we will find peace and comfort in Your presence. We pray that we will trust You and Your timing. Align our will and our desires with the plan You have for us. We pray not our will be done but Yours; because we trust that Your desire for us is greater than anything that we could think or imagine. In Jesus name, Amen.

Purpose in Action: What are you hoping for? Are there things that you have lost hope in? How are you really handling God’s no or delay? What do you need to do to renew your hope?

For His Purpose,

LiKeisha Mills