Hopes and Dreams

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life."  Proverbs 13:12

 

A friend recently shared that he had been praying for something for thirty years. He earnestly pleaded with God for a breakthrough in some unbearable circumstances. For all those years, God stayed his hand. His heart was sick, but unmoved from a place of complete trust in God. When all seemed lost, when it appeared more foolish than faithful to keep on praying, God stepped in and moved the mountain.


The writer of today's proverb knew the heartbreak of unmet hopes. Those moments we want something so bad we ache and it just doesn't happen leaving us shattered trying to pick up the pieces. He knew also the invigoration of realized dreams. The pure exhilaration of a realized vision, calling, deeper than deep yearning that takes us to heights we didn't even know existed. Interestingly, both share the center stage of this crazy thing called life. 


Perhaps, both serve God's grander purposes. Lessons from the one experience simply cannot be learned from the other experience. What fading hope is driving you to your knees these days? What fulfilled dream is energizing your spirit to take flight? Regardless of which one of these your eyes are drawn to, seek the Father in the midst of it. He's always at work conforming us to the image of his glorious Son.


Grace and Peace,

 

Tom

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