“Hope deferred
maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”
Proverbs 13:12
It’s hard to say no when your adorable little girl
is pleading. “Ice, pees. Ice,
pees.” Once her toddler gibberish is deciphered,
it is clear she would like me to give her some ice cream. However, now is not the time for ice
cream. There is little (or no)
nutritional value in ice cream, now is the time for a proper meal, with hope
for dessert after.
Self-denial, patience, long suffering,
commitment, work. These are just some of the words that people would
rather avoid. Carnality is content to
keep us in this childish mindset. The natural is not predisposed to things
such as self-denial or patience. We
learn it. We learn through experience,
and instruction. The Spirit of God, the Word of God, the counselors we
surround ourselves with, and if we are blessed enough; good ole mom and dad,
will educate us in the way hope deferred.
Both a learned, and ever refined trait.
Hope deferred is not immediate gratification. It is not current,
it is not instant, it is not easy.
However, it is vital. From the
earliest age, we must learn to wait.
Would it serve a toddler's best interest to give them ice cream for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner? No. Would it serve their immediate interest? In the case of my own toddler, absolutely. One must ask, what would the end be if there
is no instruction in hope deferred? The
things that plague our society today: abortion, gender identification, humanism,
divorce, substance abuse, overwhelming financial debt, to name a few. Ask yourself, do these things serve our best
interest, or our immediate interest? The ideology of “whatever serves you
best” has invaded every fabric of our culture, combine that with the carnal
nature to lust and it has created a tidal wave of self-gratification and self-indulgence. One may say: “Who cares for morality, or even
God? I want it, and I want it now.” To this
my reply is, where has this gotten you?
Are you better off than before? Are
we as a nation better off? Divorce rates
are fifty percent today, but at least we can marry who we want. Eight hundred thousand abortions annually (in
recent years), but at least we have a right to choose who we want. Trillions of dollars in consumer debt, but at
least we can buy whatever we want. The
average American citizen will spend nearly seven years of their life on social
media, but at least we can say what we want.
Congratulations America, you have liberty to serve yourself, please yourself,
and exalt yourself. Now ask yourself, is
this really liberty? Or have you simply
found yourself another master. Yourself. All the while, our loving heavenly Father has
so much more for us. While we are consuming
the dregs, this world has to offer; if we but trust him; he can offer the tree
of life. A blessed union with Jesus Christ
that promotes holiness of heart, holiness of life, and brings complete liberty. God desire is to be a good Father to us, but
that is only found in the way of hope deferred.
“When the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” In waiting there is
trust, belief, faith. When you submit to the Lord, and let him lead you,
guide you, direct you. It is the way of
hope deferred. There are times when it’s
hard, when it hurts, when you hear the word “no.” However, when desire cometh it is a tree of
life. When God blesses you, it is
perfect, in every way. If we continually
seek to serve ourselves, we will continually find only bondage, but to seek the
Lord, is to be students of hope deferred.
It is to have access to the tree of life, and a relationship with your
heavenly Father.
