Hope that is not deferred

Bible verse: Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

Insight: Placing your hope on the wrong things will inevitably lead to your dismay. Have you ever hoped for something so fervently that didn't come to pass? Did it hurt your heart, make you feel lost, doubt where you placed your hope? This Bible verse warns us about what we place our hope in. There are so many things that may not seem harmful to place our hope in like, other people, situations, and opportunities. Our hearts may seem in the right place, but if God is not at the center of our hearts, we will set our hope on the wrong things. We must always keep Him at the center of our lives. The reality is that none of these things that we hope for or place our hope in is guaranteed. We'll be left feeling doubtful. Instead, we get to place our hope in the One who will never lead us astray. Situations may seem bleak and people will undoubtedly fail us, but God is the one certainty we have in our lives. Instead of praying for our wishes and our ways to be done, let's pray prayers of hope in the plans that God has set before us. Let's be people who look at the cross as the one hope we will carry into eternity.

Work application: Having a hope that is set solely on God gives us wisdom and peace that we'd otherwise be lost without. When our eyes are fixed on God, we can move through our work lives with wisdom and peace knowing that God has blessed us and is all that we can hope for. Instead of placing our hope in a job opportunity that may come our way, a promotion, or our finances, we get to lay it all at the feet of Jesus. God will place you in the career that He has for you. This does not mean we shouldn't be proactive! It's quite the opposite—be proactive in furthering your career, take the necessary steps to strive for excellence, and work hard for your goals. Professor Curtis, co-author of From Illusion to Reality, provides practical steps such as getting an internship to gain hands-on experience, conducting informational interviews, and getting a mentor, to begin career preparation in excellence. God placing you in the career that is meant for you, means that our lives may not look the way we had ever thought, and yet we get to place our trust in the God who ultimately holds all of our plans in His hands.

Grateful: I am grateful for a God that I can set my complete hope and faith in. I am grateful that He is completely present in all aspects of my life. I am grateful that my hope will never be deferred when it is placed on the God of hope.

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Contributor: Jessica Carrera holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing and a minor in Biblical Studies from Biola University. She aspires to touch the lives of others through her words.