There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12. What does that mean to have hope deferred and how do we keep our hearts from being sick?

Hope deferred is another way of saying that there is an unmet longing; something that one hopes for has not occurred and may not. The unfulfilled desire weighs on the person causing disappointment or discouragement resulting in a heaviness or a sick feeling. Sometimes people refer to this feeling as a broken or aching heart.

What do we do when our heart is sick from hope that has been deferred? We can pray and seek whether the thing we hope for is God’s will for us. Perhaps the timing is wrong or it is not intended for us. We can read God’s Word and see what the Bible says about the thing we hope for. We could serve others while we wait and try to be a blessing. Another option is to discuss the deferred hope with our church family members who can then pray with us and for us. We can also fast and place a heavy emphasis on seeking God’s will in our fasting prayers.

There are many paths we can take to try to cease dwelling on the deferred hope and redirect our emotions and energy towards what God has for us now, in the moment. He may never deliver to us what we hope for, it may not be in His plan for our lives and we need to trust that He works all things together for our good. Even those things that we do not understand or those things that we ‘know’ are best for us.

No matter what we do while we wait, we must continue to praise God. Whether He chooses to fulfill whatever we hope for or not, He continues to fill our lungs with air and holds our hearts as they beat. Without His enduring love and care for us, we would no longer live to see another day. Another day that may just quench our deferred hope, heal our sick heart and bring us to a tree of life.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for Your love for us. Thank You that each and every day, you cause our hearts to beat. Remind us that each breath we take is because You allow us to breathe in. Thank You that You care so deeply for us and whether you defer our hopes or fulfill them, help us to love and praise You no matter what. It is in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.