Title: Protecting My Heart/Topic: Hope

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 13; Proverbs 14; Proverbs 15; Romans 11

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

Observation/ Application: How true this verse is! But how does this knowledge help us to improve our lives and grow spiritually? I have experienced the truth of this verse very recently and reading this makes me ponder what I should be hoping for. It is God's will that we have joy. The Word says that “the joy of the Lord is your strength”. Therefore, if I am focusing on a hope that is not coming to pass and it is making my heart sick, I must need to change the hope that I am focusing on to something that is sure to be fulfilled. I can focus on the hope of my salvation, the hope of eternity with Jesus, the hope of the Spirit using me to bless others, etc. When my hope is focused first on God and what he will do (and is doing) in my life my heart can rejoice. If my greatest hopes are pinned on other people or circumstances I run a great risk of having a sick heart.

Prayer: Father, help me to place my hopes on you, who are the same yesterday, today and forever. May I pray for other people and circumstances to be what they ought to be without having the focus of my hopes on them. You never disappoint. By the power of the Spirit, teach me to bring every thought to you and make it obedient to Christ my Lord. Thank you for your goodness and grace to me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.