Proverbs 13:12: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
We’ve all heard this verse before and it’s quoted a lot when someone expresses their disappointment in the delayed fruit of a dream, or vision they’ve been working towards.
Sometimes it’s used as a false medicine to treat the grief of soul we feel when doubt creeps in and tells us the promise that God gave us will never happen. That we’ve basically wasted our time. The whispers of the enemy + stagnant time eats away at our hope, and when our hope begins to crumble our hearts become sick. But what does Heart Sick actually mean. When I looked it up, this is what it said:
“despondent, typically from grief or loss of love“
Did you catch that? When our dreams are seemingly put on hold and we lose hope in God’s promise, we begin to feel unloved.
How do we respond when we feel unloved?
1. We become suspicious and test God’s heart and motive. Just like Gideon in Judges 6:36-40.
2. We question His word and promises. Just like Thomas in John 20:24-29.
3. We become distant or begin to retreat. This also made me think of Thomas and wonder why he wasn’t with the disciples. I wonder if he was so heart broken that being around the people that reminded him of the promise he once believed became too painful to bear.
4. We become angry when someone asks us about our dream/promise. Just like the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4: 14-17.
How do we change our perspective in the waiting?
1. We need to remind ourselves of who God is. Numbers 23:19
2. We need to remind ourselves of His heart towards us. Jeremiah 29:11
3. We need to remind ourselves of the promise God spoke to us. Proverbs 18:21, Romans 10:17
Proverbs 18:21: The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
What we say can breathe life back into something or suck the remaining life out of something. God invited us into that power so that we could learn to speak as He speaks – with purpose and clarity of mind. What we say matters and what we repeat matters.
Who are you repeating? God, your fears or the enemies words? Also, there is power in hearing yourself speak.
Romans 10:17: So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
What’s the good news about Christ? It’s that he bridged the gap between us and God and now every promise given is FOR US! So, how do we instill faith and hope back into our heart and our dreams? We speak His Word and His personal promises out loud because it causes our mind, soul and spirit to come back in alignment with His will and His plan for us. There’s incredible power in hearing life.
Discuss with Your Tribe
*Cover your time in prayer.
- Question #1: What’s something that you’ve been believing God for that has you heartsick or to question God’s heart towards you?
- Question #2: What verses do you use when you feel your hope dwindling? It can also be quotes or content from books.
- Question #3: Share a dream God has given you that you have either stopped believing or trying to let go of because you feel it’s easier that way?
Personal Activity:
- Journal a dream God has given you that you have either stopped believing or trying to let go because you feel it’s easier that way?
- Take some time to speak to God about your hope in His promises and ask him to restore you.
- Write down that dream and breathe life back into it. This is our way of mimicking our Father in breathing life back into a dying thing.
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