In heaven where the tree of life is planted, you'll finally be fulfilled in your eternal joy as you bask in the presence of Jesus.
SHAUNA: Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Listen now as Joni unpacks that poignant proverb.
JONI: That’s a pretty insightful verse from Proverbs 13. It describes life as it is, doesn’t it? Because how many times have you gotten your hopes up and then I don’t know something ambushes everything and it all comes crashing down. Makes your heart sick, doesn’t it? You just feel awful. Well, that was the way I felt shortly after I got out of the hospital from the diving accident in which I became paralyzed. I wanted the use of my hands and legs back! Once I got home, I prayed and prayed that God would miraculously heal my body. And I really believed he would. I mean I needed faith, so I was calling friends up on the telephone, telling them to watch out for me, because soon I knew I’d be walking, and I’d come skipping up their driveway! Surprise! Months passed, and after all the prayers, all the anointing with oil, all the confession of sin and one healing service after another, it was clear that my healing was not meant to be. And my hopes were dashed! It was then I stumbled across Proverbs 13:12 and boy did that verse resonate. Hope deferred does make the heart sick.
But wait a minute. Stop! Read the verse again. It does not say hope crushed makes the heart sick; it says hope deferred. For some reason back many years ago, I somehow missed that word “deferred.” Because you see, we all know that often the Lord does say “no” to some of our requests for good and godly things. But is that to say our hope for that good thing is dashed forever? For that matter, is there any purpose to the ongoing wish that we might yet receive those good things for which we hope? Is there any redeemable value to the wistfulness of reflecting on unfulfilled longings? Well, I think there is. Why so do I think that? Because the word “deferred” is very different from the word “denied”. God is not about to, in the end, deny me a request that is good and godly. And as a child of God, I am quite sure that I could not possibly have a good or Godly hope or a Christ-honoring desire that I will not find, in some way, completely and eternally fulfilled in heaven.
In other words, friend, my hope for the healing of my body has been postponed; it’s been deferred. And, someday, I am going to see that hope fulfilled. One day I will have my body back in working order and more. Better yet, a far greater body than the one I lost in that diving accident. And yes, my heart now on earth might be mildly disappointed; but in a way, this heart sickness is really kind of a homesickness for heaven. My disappointment is really only a disappointment with earth – because it’s earth that can’t satisfy; earth can never keep its promises. But hope will find its fulfillment in heaven! Heaven, where the tree of life is planted and where all our desires and longings, great and small alike, will finally be fulfilled in our eternal joy as we bask in the presence of Jesus.
SHAUNA: And friend, I am sure you’ve experienced the heartbreak of a godly hope; a God-honoring hope dashed to pieces. Today, take some time to read Proverbs 13:12 and see it with new eyes now that you’ve heard Joni’s fresh insights. And then why not turn that verse into your own personal prayer? Remember, Godly hopes deferred will one day find their fulfillment in heaven. Be blessed today, friend. The best is yet to come!
© Joni and Friends