Hope Deferred is not Hope Denied (Hold On!)

Hope deferred is not hope denied

“You can have this marshmallow now; but if you wait while I run an errand, you can have two marshmallows when I get back”, the researcher told each child.

In this “marshmallow test” research, each child was to either eat one marshmallow (a yummy snack) given to him/her, or wait and have two. After the instruction, the researcher leaves.

I watched with interest and excitement at the various reactions of the children – some jumped on it for a bite the minute the researcher was behind the door. Some looked at it for some minutes and when they could no longer resist its yummy sight, they gradually took some bites. Some others were ready to wait – they covered their eyes, sang little songs to themselves, tried to play some games, and even fell asleep.

When the researcher returned, she gave those patient children their much awaited marshmallow. They had double; and for the rest, they missed it – they did not hold on.

I learnt a deep lesson!

In life, we experience and are faced with lots of things that we hope for, desire, and passionately want. But at the moment, they seem to be deferred and delayed; some because we know it’s not the right time to have them, while for others, “now” appears to be the right time but they are just so far away from us – simply out of sight and reach.

When you see those things dance around your face, drawing your attention and wetting your appetite, you sigh. And probably those in whose hand you see it appear less qualified than you to actually have it.

You keep wondering: Am I forgotten? Am I less loved? Will my life continue and end up this way? Have I been denied of these hopes? Where did I get it wrong?

Catalogue of “Hope Deferred” 
  • You want to achieve this goal, but the more steps you climb, the harder it becomes, and it appears you can’t reach that goal; you can’t get to that height you so much desire to attain.
  • You need a job, a good source of income; but every door you try opening seem to be firmly shut or lead to a wrong direction.
  • All your friends are married, everyone is getting married; I mean even the ones who didn’t even do it “God’s way”. They crossed every boundary of “keep the marriage bed undefiled”, and now they are married, and even happy. “But me that swallowed “sexual purity” and “will of God” hook, nook and sinker, here am I still – waiting”.
  • That crave for intimacy and sexual desire rises; but you know you should save it for the right person, and the right time – marriage. But your flesh, the voices around, and the media; they hint a different story.
  • You want to have this, that and that. But you know you could save and invest some of that money, and have multiples of it latter.

The list goes on…

And you know, just like the bible says – “Hope deferred makes the heart sick… (Proverbs 13:12)

You cry, get moody, confused, withdrawn, forgotten, discouraged, and even frustrated.

But friends, that’s not the whole story… The complete story is this:

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12)

Yes! When the desire comes, when that hope is fulfilled – it is a tree of life.

And you know what Revelation 22:2 tells us about the tree of life – “…which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations”. You’ll be both fruitful and whole.

So dear sis, the point is this – Hope Deferred is NOT Hope Denied, it is Desire Doubled

When you feel crushed under the weight of these “Hopes deferred”, remember God’s promise that says –”When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2) . “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Will my expectations be met? “Trust Me”! When will the answer come? “Trust Me”!

Trusting God means you HOLD ON!

Hope Deferred Begets Desire Doubled, but You Must – HOLD ON
  • Have faith in God: “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God)… (Heb 11:6). All those patriarchs of old – Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, etc, received from God only through – Faith. As you study God’s word more, commune with Him in prayers, and fellowship with like-minded believers, you keep building your faith. God will not forget you.
  • Order your steps in the path that is set for you: God told Jeremiah (as well as you and I)- “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee… See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms…” (Jeremiah 1: 5, 10). There is a path set for you, a race set for you, a plan outlined for you. Keep to it! Don’t be distracted by what is happening in other people’s life. Don’t compare yourself with others. That all your friends are there, and have that, and are doing this doesn’t mean your own life is not happening. God has the details of your life well laid out. As you keep connected to Him, they’ll keep unfolding. And not just that; when some others appear successful and prosperous in their evil ways, don’t envy them, and then despise the right path you are taking. In fact David has something to teach us about that – “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction” (Psalm 73:3, 17,18). You don’t want to end up that way, right? Then, stay in that right path that God set for you. He’ll meet you there.
  • Learn to refuse and choose: You remember Ruth in the Bible right? She “refused” to go back to her people and gods in Moab, but rather “choose” to follow Naomi to her land and to serve her God. That decision to refuse and choose is the reason we remember and talk about her life today. What are those negative ideologies of man and suggestions of the devil to be refused; and the will, way and word of God to choose? Do it boldly! You’ll sure reap the fruits.
  • Desist from toying with objects of temptation: Back to my marshmallow story. The kids who got double marshmallows had something in common – they busied themselves away from it. While those who could not hold on did things like – touch it, smell it, stare at it, throw it up and down, put it close to their mouth, took a little bite, and then crunched the whole thing up. They toyed with it! What are those things that fan up the flame of those desires that can’t be appropriately met now? Run from them. The bible tells us to – “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
  • Operate on the principle of “delayed gratification”: A quote that is often rehearsed to us says, “if you pay today, you’ll play tomorrow; but if play today, you’ll pay tomorrow”. Don’t settle for less because you want it now, you’ll have something better tomorrow.
  • Never quit: No matter how discouraged, pressurized and tempted you feel; about those commitments, Godly desires, aspirations, dreams, etc, – don’t give up. Just one more stroke, you’ll make it. The end is nearer than you think. There’s a radiant light shinning at the end of that tunnel.

Hold on!

And the greatest promise is this – “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).  

God is preparing a home for us in heaven. It’s a place where there is no pain, no tears, no unmet desires. One minute in Heaven, you’ll forget every pain you ever had here on earth.

Prepare to get to that home. The only ticket to Heaven is Salvation. Jesus has paid for it. Accept Him into your heart today, and get your own ticket.

In Heaven, there’ll be no more Hope Deferred… All things will be perfect.

But while we’re still on this side of eternity, always remember that…

Hope deferred is not hope denied, it is desire doubled; so HOLD ON!

Remain Radiant!

 

 

 

 

4 thoughts on “Hope Deferred is not Hope Denied (Hold On!)”

  1. We are so used to instant gratification, that any waiting is torture for us. But most times, the Lord has us wait for the best thing. “Good things come to those who wait.” And “not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance [patience] produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5, ESV).

    1. Thank you Lila! I love that Bible quote. Indeed, suffering produces endurance (patience) and endurance produces character…
      May God help us to always remember that.

  2. Hi Chiamaka,

    I’ve been having my devotional last night and I was asking the Lord if I will let go of that hope inside me. That hope of having an abundant wedding where all what we are seeing now is the disaster caused by the Covid-19 pandemic..

    I had God’s promise for me about marriage and it was a 3 yrs battle already. 3 years of praying, hoping and holding on but my journey wasn’t perfect. So many times I doubted His word and promise. So many times I failed to hold on. I’m just in this spiritual dilemma of giving up and letting go or hoping and holding on.
    Then I heard the Holy Spirit said ‘Hope does not deferred.’ And I was searching for that bible verse on the net but I was led on your article.
    And as I was reading through this, my tears just suddenly fell and I can’t contain His loving arms wrapped around me and brought comfort and answers to my questions last night. ???

    I am so blessed today and thank you for this message of hope and encouragement.
    God bless you beyond measure!

    1. Hi Klindee,

      I’m teary reading this from you.

      I need you to always remember that those Everlasting Loving Arms won’t let you go.

      Just hold on!

      Your testimony is on the way.

      Bless your heart, dear.

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