Of Hope Deferred
Written by a sister in Christ in response to a survey posted on the YLCF in 2004…
If you had told me at seventeen (when I first fell in love) that I would still be unmarried at twenty-seven, I would have been horrified! Now, I wouldn’t trade those exciting, surprising and difficult years for anything. Dealing with “hope deferred” seems to come in waves: occasionally I’m swamped, but (sometimes) I’m too excited about the adventures God sends my way (and most of the time) I’m too busy to worry much about marriage. Still, probably one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that emotions are very real and whether I ignore them or not, they still affect me. Here King David is a great example, because I can “pour out my heart” to Jesus when romantic emotions overwhelm me. I find sympathy, strength, toughness, and hope in Jesus.
One of my biggest comforts comes from the book of Ruth. When Naomi tells Ruth to “sit still and wait until you see how the matter will fall,” she adds, “for the man will not rest until he finishes the matter this day.” If Boaz was so motivated by his love for Ruth, how much more is Jesus busily preparing my future? Yes, I’m sitting, but He’s not! He has plans; He’s in action. I can well afford to trust Him!
It’s great training for keeping my eyes in the right place – on Jesus – and that’s what this poem is about.
Hope Deferred
What almost is (but isn’t) hurts.
It stabs and stings and squeezes.
It presses patience out
And unsought anger teases.
I dare not tell you:
Can’t you see?
My eye’s on you…
Is yours on me?
And if it is, and if you care,
Why are you still just standing there
To wait?Wait!
On Sovereign Love, with faith rock steady,
Is your eye fixed until He’s ready?
(If you can do it, I can too).
I’ll stare at Him and stow my worry
(Backstage: heaven’s stir and scurry)
Hope’s long deferred;
I’m waiting still
But, eyes on Him, I’ll wait until
What almost is (but isn’t)
Is.
(c)2006 YLCF
I can relate to hope deferred. Would I trade any of my “single years” for anything? Nope! They’ve been chock full of good memories, excitement, a bit of heartache but never once have I felt I was on the wrong path, unloved etc… God knows best.
This: “Certainly I’ve found a godly young man and I’ve definitely been waiting since I fell in love with him, but I’ve been waiting on God, too, to make sure that it’s Him and not just me.”
Amen to that!! We have to be careful to wait on God too and make sure it’s not just us….and our will and our way.
So i’m curious. Did you get married to this young man?
Hi Dayna, I just saw your question now, and the answer is no!
At this point, I’m pretty sure that *my idea* for my spouse wasn’t my Heavenly Father’s. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but it has been very good. I know there will come a time (perhaps not until heaven) when I’ll see why He said no, and be 100% full of spontaneous, joyful praise. Meanwhile, I’m trusting Him!
Wow… the Lord is so faithful to minister to us through willing vessels like yourself, sister-in-Christ! I was just blessed with your exhortation to wait… even during the grey areas of life that have no concreteness except for the reality that our Lord is good… and He is working ALWAYS.