Kim Potter: "Healing Your Heart in the Hope Deferred Seasons"

Recently, as I sat watching the flames dancing across the logs in my fireplace, my mind drifted back to the past several years. For some reason I began to think about the things that God has brought me through. There have been many circumstances. While I am so very thankful that God brought me through those things, I would have preferred to have avoided them altogether. In life there are times when God delivers us out of a situation. Those times are glorious. However, there are more times, at least in my experience, that He walks us through situations. I am sure many of you can relate to this.

Facing the Disappointment

There are times when God does not deliver us from a situation and then disappointment comes. We have prayed and cried out to God for deliverance, yet we hear nothing. It seems no matter how much we pray, we are continuing to walk through it. I have been there. I have faced those times of disappointment.

I am not talking about small disappointments. I am not talking about things you hoped would happen but didn't. I am talking about those things you prayed and stood in faith for, fully believing to receive them. You stood firm on God's Word and it did not turn out the way you declared or believed it would. It did not turn out the way you thought was God's plan and will.

Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick..." I have heard and read this Scripture many times. For about 10 years, I lived it. I lived and became intimately acquainted with hope deferred. To get a clearer picture of this Scripture, let's look at the Message Bible. The Message Bible says, "Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick..." For me, those ten years were just that…unrelenting disappointment.

Year after year. Challenge after challenge. Attack after attack. The unrelenting disappointment would not let up. It seemed to go on and on. Yet, God remained faithful through it all. He never left me. He walked with me, all the way.

Through those long years, God taught me a great deal about disappointment. He showed me how it can affect your heart and your soul. He taught me the importance of not allowing disappointment to remain in your heart. He taught me that you can't afford to see His Word and His promises through the lens of disappointment. It will change your very perception of His faithfulness.

In the Land of the Living

He also taught me that disappointment breeds unbelief. Unbelief will stop you from receiving your promise…if it is not dealt with. Through this time, one of my favorite Scriptures became my life-line. It is Psalm 27:13, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." I clung to this wonderful Scripture so that the disappointment would not cling to me. I am thankful beyond words that God brought me through those times. But even more than that, I am thankful for all He taught me in that season.

I don't know where you find yourself today. Perhaps you too are in a place of unrelenting disappointment. If so, know this, God will bring you through. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Cling to Him, do not allow disappointment to change the way you perceive God. Don't allow it to change the truth that He is faithful. Do not allow it to distort your perception of His Word. Losing sight of God's faithfulness is the enemy's plan for you, BUT God's plan is to bring you out to complete and utter victory – and He will.

Walking through disappointment is something we all go through. There is no way around it. Learning how to continue to trust God in the midst of it is a valuable lesson learned. Cling to God and His Word. As you do, disappointment will not be able to cling to you. You will see clearly, not through the lens of disappointment, but through the lens of faith in God and in His love for you. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Kim Potter
A New Thing Ministries
Email: kim@anewthingministries.com
Website: www.anewthingministries.com

Kim Potter is the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to over 10,000 people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim's message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged and disappointed by the circumstances of life and imparts the desire and ability to stand against all odds; to stand for victory. She encourages people to press into God and discover that He is who He says He is.

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