Hope Deferred
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." – Proverbs 13:12
After serving 20 years in prison, I was up for parole. My eyes were focused on serving God, and I was standing on the promises that He had spoken in my Spirit. Every Scripture that I read, such as Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 61:1,7, Proverbs 13:12 and Psalm 146:7-8 declared deliverance for the oppressed and freedom for the captive. I just knew that God was going to set me free. He had given me hope for the future and a vision for a homeless and prison ministry. I had all of my housing, clothing, transportation, and sustenance needs met and had a good job waiting. All of my plans were coming together, and I was excited about my pending release. Thus, the three-year "set-off" which delayed my parole eligibility for another three years made my heart sick. I knew that God promised my deliverance, yet doubt crept in. It made me question whether I had heard God at all.
Since then, I have received two more three-year setoffs. Each time my hopes rose and each time they were shattered. I progressed through each one of the stages of grief, and sometimes it was very difficult to keep hope alive. Thankfully, in the midst of each of these trials, God whispered in my spirit that He is with me, He has a plan for my life, and He will carry out His plan in His perfect timing.
One of the biggest inspirations God provides to encourage me is Joseph (Genesis 37-45). God gave Joseph a dream prophesying that he would have authority over his brothers, father, and mother. It appeared as though his life would be greatly blessed, and he would have a life of ease. Imagine how he must have felt when he was sold into slavery. Heavy shackles limited his movements, and he had a long, uncomfortable journey to Egypt. I am not sure if he questioned God's will for Him or if he struggled with hope, yet Joseph stood on His faith.
When Joseph was sold to Potiphar the captain of Pharaoh's bodyguard, he served faithfully and walked in God's favor. It appeared that God was finally going to fulfil his dreams. No, he was falsely accused of attempted rape and sent to jail. All of his hard-won favor was destroyed.
In the same way, God started to bring a glimmer of hope to Joseph by bringing two high-level officials to the prison through whom Joseph might gain influence. They had troubling, prophetic dreams, and God gave Joseph the interpretation. Surely this was his way to the top. Just as Joseph prophesied, one official was executed, and the other official was restored (Genesis 40:20). Yet, Pharaoh's cupbearer forgot all about Joseph. He had to wait two more years, and then Pharaoh dreamed. Joseph stayed faithful and trusted God. He did not worry about the future; he simply served God.
Looking back, it is easy for us to see God at work in each trial that Joseph faced. We can see the lessons of faith and humility that allowed Joseph to forgive his brothers. God's plan was to use Him to fulfil prophecy and to save the nation of Israel from a great famine (Genesis 50:20). Joseph had a mission to fulfil, but God had to prepare him.
We each have dreams that God places in our hearts. When they are not fulfilled in our timing, it may make our hearts sick. We may struggle with faith and remaining hopeful. As we can see illustrated through Joseph, God's timing is perfect. He will fulfil His plan for us, and every situation we face has a purpose (Romans 8:28). God desires that our will aligns with His. When our will aligns with God’s will and it is fulfilled, it becomes a "tree of life."
The Father prunes us that we may bring forth much fruit (John 15:1). We may not always recognize God's plan, but He works through our struggles to bring forth a harvest. Just like Joseph, we are called to faith and to use each day to serve God regardless of the circumstances. We can rest assured that our trials have a purpose. When tested, press on. It is all part of His plan.
