Have you been dealing with an issue for a while without resolution?
Do you ever feel like you can’t do it anymore?
A Listening Heart
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Do you have trouble keeping discouragement at bay?
I can relate.
It is hard not to be discouraged when our expectations are delayed, and the situation drags on for a while.
Perhaps you have spent years praying for the salvation of a loved one, but the answer is long in coming.
Maybe you are disappointed with the lingering crisis from this global pandemic, or you are in a long battle with an illness, or maybe you’ve lost your job and are frustrated by your inability to find another job.
Or maybe you are dealing with heartbreak from multiple miscarriages, or you are waiting to conceive a child.
What do you do when you’ve been praying for a loved one’s health for a while and they don’t seem to get better?
For over 10 years, I have been praying about a particular situation, but I haven’t received the answer yet.
These delayed expectations can lead to loss of hope.
Let’s look at David’s cry in Psalm 69:3.
I am worn out from calling for help,
and my throat is aching.
I have strained my eyes,
looking for your help. Psalm 69:3
Does it sound like David can relate? He was weary from calling on God to the point that his throat was aching and even his eyes were tired from looking for help.
All around everything looks bleak.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).
How can we rise out of these ashes?
We can rise out of the ashes of despair and discouragement by remembering God’s goodness. The enemy would like to keep us discouraged and even remind us that God has forgotten about us and our situation.
This is simply not true.
Let’s see God’s plan for us in Romans 8.
So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us?… Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even our worst sins. Romans 8:31-32, 35 MSG
Friend, God is good. He has a plan and his delays are not denials, but he is working behind the scenes to make it all good in his time.
Remember, God loves you! Absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:39
Three tips for infusing your soul with Hope
- Look to Jesus. Hold on to hope and never give up.
- Surround yourself with people who care about you.
- Write Psalm 16:9, Hebrews 6:19, and Romans 8:39 on 3×5 notecards.
- Use these scriptures to encourage yourself and infuse your soul with hope.
Delay is not Denial. Hold on to Hope, Never give up!
How do you infuse hope in your soul when the answer is delayed? Share in the comments below.
