Hope Deferred
I guess that most of us would like to be successful in life. At least I would. I think that our definition of what is successful is probably to blame here. The book of Proverbs tells us that not getting what we are hoping for can make us ill.
Proverbs 13:12 (NASB)
[12] Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire *fulfilled is a tree of life.
I know that at work I am constantly bombarded with the realization that others are getting the real good jobs. Some of the things that I want to do get handed out to individuals that, in my mind are either too inexperienced or undeserving of the task. I end up getting the 'crap' things to do. It also seems that my prayers to become successful at some aspect of the job go unanswered. I am envious of some of my colleagues in what they are assigned to do. I keep forgetting that I get payed to do what I am assigned to do.
Psalms 73:2-3 (NASB)
[2] But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps *had almost slipped.
[3] For I was envious of the *arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
So I struggle, and fuss, and fret about my life. I sometimes feel that I am the only one in the struggle, that the Lord has abandoned me. But that is never the case.
Isaiah 41:13 (NASB)
[13] “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
In fact, the Lord cares very much about me. It says in Matthew that the hairs on my head are numbered.
Matthew 10:30-31 (NASB)
[30] “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.[31] “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
If the Lord is that detailed about my life, why don't I get my way? He obviously has heard my prayers hasn't he? What I need to realize is that the Lord's timing is perfect and there are certain things in my life that need to be dealt with. Perhaps it is patient that I need to wait on the Lord. Perhaps it is a need to learn all that I can about the task that I am on in preparation for something really interesting on the future. Perhaps it is that I need to keep asking Him so that my hope will be grounded in Him and not in something else.
Proverbs 13:12 (NASB)
[12] Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire *fulfilled is a tree of life.
I know that at work I am constantly bombarded with the realization that others are getting the real good jobs. Some of the things that I want to do get handed out to individuals that, in my mind are either too inexperienced or undeserving of the task. I end up getting the 'crap' things to do. It also seems that my prayers to become successful at some aspect of the job go unanswered. I am envious of some of my colleagues in what they are assigned to do. I keep forgetting that I get payed to do what I am assigned to do.
Psalms 73:2-3 (NASB)
[2] But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps *had almost slipped.
[3] For I was envious of the *arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
So I struggle, and fuss, and fret about my life. I sometimes feel that I am the only one in the struggle, that the Lord has abandoned me. But that is never the case.
Isaiah 41:13 (NASB)
[13] “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
In fact, the Lord cares very much about me. It says in Matthew that the hairs on my head are numbered.
Matthew 10:30-31 (NASB)
[30] “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.[31] “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
If the Lord is that detailed about my life, why don't I get my way? He obviously has heard my prayers hasn't he? What I need to realize is that the Lord's timing is perfect and there are certain things in my life that need to be dealt with. Perhaps it is patient that I need to wait on the Lord. Perhaps it is a need to learn all that I can about the task that I am on in preparation for something really interesting on the future. Perhaps it is that I need to keep asking Him so that my hope will be grounded in Him and not in something else.