Hope & Expectations

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"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, 

but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life." 

(Proverbs 13:12) 

I've been slowly trudging my way through the book of Proverbs for the past few weeks and this morning I found myself stumbling over this verse.  What does it mean to have hope deferred?  And how easy is it in this world to place my hope in worldly, trivial things?

Hope is simply another way of saying expectation.  In this world, it's easy to expect success, wealth, and happiness, to hope for good health and abundant blessings.  

When I was pregnant with my first, I had hope or expectation that her arrival would be nothing but joy, that she would be placed in my arms the moment she took her first breath and that we would blissfully soak up those first moments, spend time resting and recovering in our own hospital room, and then be welcomed home a few short days later.  But nothing seemed to go the way I expected and when my hope was deferred, my heart became sick. 

A good friend of mine found out while pregnant with her third child that she had a brain tumor causing migraines that resulted in an emergency c-section and brain surgery just a few days later.  She endured months of recovery followed by radiation treatment and then we all praised God as her body healed and all seemed well.  Then, while pregnant with her sixth, five years later, the results of a routine MRI shocked us all: the tumor had returned...only worse this time.  The moment I heard the news, my heart became sick. 

And still, every day, I hear more stories of families who are hurting, friends who are grieving, hopes that continue to be crushed by the sin-sick depravity of this world.  I find myself weary and heavy burdened, my heart sick at the hope deferred over and over again.  I fold my hands, bow my head, and lift my aching heart to the only One who holds every tear...and I wonder how to pray knowing that there will continue to be disappointment and heart ache, as long as sin reigns in this world.  Is it worth it?  Does He really hear us? 

Matthew Henry explains in his commentary that the more high our expectations are, the more cutting the frustration of it.  When we feed ourselves with vain hope from the world, we will be disappointed.  So what are we to do? 

"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you." 

(Psalm 39:7)

We must place our hope in the Lord alone, who never disappoints, never fails, never forsakes.  When all the world continues to crush and disappoint, there is still the hope of heaven.  It makes that hope all the more precious, more treasured, more anticipated.  Because, when we place our hope and trust in Him, surrendering our desires at His feet, we can rest secure and know without a doubt, that enduring this race is worth it...for that day when we will see Him face to face and spend an eternity singing praises at His feet. 

As for me, 

I shall behold your face in righteousness when I awake, 

I shall be satisfied with your likeness." 

(Psalm 17:15)