Hope Deferred - Warrior Mom Wisdom - Week of June 2
Hope deferred
Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
What is your horse? I’ve trusted in many so-called horses in my life; they have all eventual broken a leg, gotten thirsty, tired and/or old. In the movies, when a warrior is riding a horse, as soon as his horse goes down, so too does he. As soon as the warrior hits the battleground, he is surrounded by his enemy, swords come at him, he is rushed, and he soon dies. Now, sometimes he survives, but it’s usually because a fellow-warrior rushed up – on a new horse – reached out his hand, and pulled him up, and they ride off together. Even still, however, their hope is still in the horse that they are currently on. What about when the new horse goes down? Will another fellow-warrior come along with an even bigger horse? And even if he does, how will he simultaneously save both of them?
I recently called on a house I was interested in. It was for rent. I was hoping it was affordable, and I was hoping the owners may be interested in a lease/purchase. We had been through some very difficult times, and let’s just say that mortgage companies weren’t banging on our door asking us if we wanted to be approved for a mortgage. I called on the house. The lady was nice. It sounded perfect. It had enough bedrooms, a bonus room, and a basement. The basement would be perfect to have Warrior Mom Bible study classes. There was even a little kitchen downstairs so I would be able to make coffee and have muffins for the ladies. My current lease, however, is not up until May. It’s only January. “Well, I doubt it will be available in May,” she said.
I wanted to giggle at her comment. Last time I called on a house, the current house that we are in, the leasing agent was rude, the price was too high, and there was just no earthly way we would be able to rent it. Three weeks later, however, my realtor and friend called to say he had the perfect house for us. He knew nothing of me calling on this particular house.
“This house is perfect,” he said. It was owned by a friend who just wanted a good family in it; he just wanted to break even. I asked him if it was a simple, yellow house with a bonus room upstairs. “Yes, how did you know?” He asked. Just the week before, I walked into that house; it was empty, and a contractor was there repairing some things.
Needless to say, we moved in – despite the rude leasing agent and despite the original expensive price. This has been a good house for us over the past 2 years, but it is extremely small, and there is no backyard. There are other issues with bugs, showers, floors, no gutters, and some other issues that I won’t go into right now.
Additionally, our Beagle dog, Lucy, was killed the first week we moved in, and we have to be extremely careful with the carpet. We have always put in hard-wood floors or tile in the houses we have owned, so, we have felt cramped and constricted. Plus, my children and my husband miss having a dog very much, and the especially miss having a backyard to kick a soccer ball in.
I’ve been praying for a house to move into in May when our lease is up. I’ve even been praying for a house with a lease/purchase options so that when we get back on our feet, we can buy it. I have been praying for a home to call our own again – with a backyard to kick a soccer ball in, with floors that can tolerate a busy family and a precious puppy.
I am writing about it now, so that when God presents us with the opportunity to lease/purchase it, we can all celebrate together. I am writing about it now so that you know that when someone says, “Oh, it probably won’t……” – You too can learn to giggle, glorify God, and wait patiently for what you do not have – yet! I am not hoping in vain for a horse. I am hoping in God from whom every perfect gift comes (James 1:17), who is my provision, my Savior, and my Father. I am asking God for all things because He alone is able to do all things.
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her website, https://kristinaseymour.com/. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.
