"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."
Proverbs 13:12
I have been thinking a lot of this verse. I was challenged to write an essay on hope recently. As I thought about what hope means to me and read quotes from famous people through out history on hope, my heart was stirred with the importance of hope in our life. This verse also speaks about disappointment, discouragement and hopelessness; the very wilderness I have been wandering in for some time. It says something really significant and interesting though,"when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."
Danny Silk, one of the pastors here at Bethel, said that the fulfillment of a dream is meant to give hope to those around us. He said that people are desperate to see someone living out their dreams. It is the reason we flock to theaters and huddle around our TVs day after day. Even if the stories are fictional, the concept is enough to elevate our hearts momentarily. But the more we check out of our own life, the less likely we will be to fulfill our own dreams. Our time is being spent on empty things.
Hope, in it's most basic form, is the expectation of good. I have realized that hope for something better is what fuels mankind to grow beyond where we are today. Without hope we can become despondent and even lose the will to live. At the point of my breakdown, I had lost the expectation of good in my life. I was overwhelmed with despair and grief. It seemed that every where else I looked; friends at church, news headlines, email prayer requests and facebook posts, only mirrored more suffering and misery. I felt hopeless. Sadly, I heard something recently that said the average child today, when surveyed, had more worries and fears than an adult in the 1950's! It seems now that from an early age our kids are internalizing the negative messages that bombard the world daily.
How can we have hope? It is easy to just say, hope is found in God. It is, but David wrote in the Psalms that he would have despaired if he had not believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. There is something essential to seeing hope in action and seeing the fulfillment of hope. It truly becomes a tree of life to everyone who hears it. We, the human race, are still feeding off of the hopes and dreams of men and women of vision from history! The vision to see that distant land of dreams comes entirely from God. He is the source of all that is good. But as we partner with Him to move out into our destiny something is released into the world. The goodness of God becomes a reality not just a concept!
How many of you are living out of your dreams? Most people are just existing. It's the reason why we love movies like Braveheart. William Wallace lived so long ago but his legacy continues. His words, "all men die, but not all men truly live" speak to so many generations because so many lives are empty and purposeless. Proverbs 29:18 says, "where there is no vision, the people perish". What's your vision for the future, for your life, for your children and your grandchildren? What are your dreams? Do you know when I first arrived here I ended up (by accident... and it was totally God!!) in a class about Dreaming With God. When they asked us to write down our dreams I wanted to laugh (or cry!). I was just trying to get through each day, how could I even think about next year or 10 years from now or 50 years from now or leaving a legacy for my children's children's children!!!! They challenged us to write down our dreams. Every silly, insignificant, impossible dream was to be included! If you had a secret dream to rule a planet in outer space or to fly (not in a plane! lol!) you were to include it. But also, all of the small dreams and desires, like seeing a famous landmark or writing a book or driving a race car. They actually said you should have at least 100 dreams on your list! I got about 6 written that day including my old standard dreams of preaching and stepping into a Spirit filled, powerful ministry. Later I was able to get it up to about 45. (I need to go back and add to it now.) I challenge you to write a list of 100 dreams! It's not easy but it is inspiring! Of all of the things that I have been learning this year at Bethel, the area of dreaming with God has had the most life in it for me. I have felt God breath into my soul and spirit and re-awaken me as I purposed in myself to search out the dreams God has given me.
Step 2 is to start making plans to move in the direction of at least one of those dreams. There are even dream coaches here who meet with you regularly to see how you are doing and encourage you to keep taking steps. You could invite your spouse or a close friend to be your cheerleader/accountability partner. <3 Choose someone you know will believe in you and speak affirming words. The last step, is to record those dreams that are fulfilled. As you see even the little dreams being met, like seeing a shooting star or being an extra on a film set, you will start to believe that those bigger dreams are possible too. (That's hope growing in you... the expectation for good!) You see, your dreams and desires are who God made you to be! You are unique and beautiful to Him and to the world. As you take steps toward your dreams, you'll be following your destiny or calling in life! That means you will enjoy your life and everyone around you will be inspired to step out and enjoy their lives too! The goodness of God will spread, like seeds blowing in the wind. I think it is so interesting we call dandelion seeds "wishes". The next time you see a wish floating by, catch it, make a wish, write it down and then GO FOR IT! You'll be scattering the seeds of hope to a hopeless world. :)
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