204. Delayed Hope Makes The Heart Sick

The COVID number does not seem to go down. To make matters worse, the COVID variant is now being reported to have emerged. The Pandemic probably won’t end sooner than anticipated. The question is: What do we do now?

Dr. Victor Frankle, who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, wrote in “Man’s search for meaning” that those who hoped to be freed by a specific date (like Christmas) had a burst of energy to survive, but when they weren’t, they died shortly after. Their unrealized hope was too much for them to bear and drained even the little hope that was left. As King Solomon said, “delayed hope makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:12)

So, what do we need to do to avoid delayed hope?

First, do not desperately expect the situation to get better. It is one thing to wish for things to get better, but it is another thing to want desperately. This situation is out of our hands. If it gets better, it will. If it doesn’t, it won’t. The Pandemic has reminded many people that they don’t have control over their lives as much as they assumed. Live as if things will only get worse, longer than any projection you heard. Then, The change of expectation will strangely calm the anxious heart, and you all enabled to ask a different question: “Now that I stopped worrying about when it will get better, what can I do things differently NOW?”

Second, our hope should not be on the change of circumstances. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) at all times, as God promised that those who hope in him will not be disappointed. (Isaiah 49:23 NIV) It also means that those who put hope in something other than him will be disappointed. The primary way we fix our eyes on Jesus is through reading God’s Word and prayer. Without continually protecting our hearts through God’s message and his promises, we will expose our hearts to fear, anger, and disappointment.

We offered bible studies online last year, and the result was much better than expected. Instead of delaying to take them onsite, consider taking them online when offered this year. Uncontrollable situations can be an excellent opportunity to concentrate on renewing our mind rather than hoping for new scenery.