Proverbs 13:12 (AMP) Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12 (TPT) When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.
When something is deferred, it is overdue, postponed, put off, delayed, or suspended. The longer a person goes without seeing their hope realised, the more likely they are to become discouraged. Seeing one’s hope coming to pass, is uplifting. Deferred, in this verse, refers to a hopeless situation that feels long and drawn out. Sometimes unfulfilled desires, those ones we’ve prayed for over a long period of time, can diminish our faith, and cause us to lose hope.
It has been said of those in World War 2 concentration camps, they who hoped the most survived the least. The reason being the sickness of the heart brought on by deferred hope was too significant, leading to death. Those who searched for meaning instead of hope were most likely to survive.
We can choose how we handle our deferred hope. We can let it fester and make our hearts sick, or we can treat it like Paul treated his sufferings. When we choose to persevere, to pursue God’s glory regardless of our current circumstances, it builds our character.
Romans 5:2-5 (AMP) Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power]. And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 12:12 (AMP) constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],
We are reminded to hope only in God Almighty, who knows everything and is sovereign. The beauty of living with our hope being in Him and Him alone, is that our hope is never deferred, never put off for another day. We can and must always carry the hope of Jesus in all places and through any storm.