Hopeless or Hopeful?

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick.
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12

Everybody has expectations for the future. Everyone occasionally thinks about it. Are the expectations positive or negative? Are they impressive or depressive? Are they hopeless or hopeful?

I remember as a kid, I had my mind set on an incredible (and expensive) new pair of basketball shoes. Because they were expensive, I negotiated a deal with my parents (or maybe they negotiated a deal with me). They were to pay half and I would pay the other half. I had a birthday. I saved money. I did chores. I saved money. After waiting - patiently and impatiently - finally, I was able to pay for the other half. We went to the store and bought the shoes! I wore those things everywhere that I went.

Throughout that whole time I had hope for what was to come. As I waited longer and longer, my heart grew disappointed. I wanted those shoes.

When our hope does not come along on some reasonable time schedule, we become sick of heart.

As you think about your future, are you hopeful or hopeless? Are you sick of heart? So many people are traveling through life depressed and dejected. A lack of hope has produced in some worry and fear, and in others boredom and despair. Even if everything in your life that matters to you is stripped away, He's still there. He loves you. I can think of one major event to be hopeful for...heaven. Or in the words of Jesus, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43 - my emphasis added).