Devotionals

Overcoming Heartsickness

by Denise Ferrell
11/12/14
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“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”   Proverbs 13:12 (KJV)

When you have your heart set on something special, it can be disappointing not to see that hope manifest itself.  A sick feeling develops in the pit of your stomach.  A lack of hope can literally affect you at a gut level.  The heart (or spirit) is saddened by the absence of hope.

Once the desire or longing is fulfilled, the heart’s hope is renewed.  But how can we be sure that our hope is solid initially? Can it be based on temporary solutions to a problem?  Or does it need to go deeper?  Before we can have hope, we must believe that what we hope for will come to pass.  So we must have faith.  Hope and faith are close cousins.  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 / KJV)

When we put our faith in Jesus, we can claim the words of Edward Mote (circa 1834) in this song, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”  When our desires are in line with God’s desires for us, we can have a hope that need never be deferred.  As His will for us is brought to fruition, our heart feels alive and well.