May 9, 2011

I'll Hold Out Hope Until Tomorrow, Tomorrow


There is only so long one's heart can stick up their chin & grin, twiddle-dee-dee'ing the sun will come out tomorrow before we become convinced the clouds are permanent. Day after day of unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick {Prov. 13:12}.

I'm keenly aware of this as my birthday approaches.

Normally I love my birthday. Cheerful wishes from hundreds (thanks Facebook!), cake and laugh filled parties, and sweet moments to look back and reflect on.

Last year differed. I turned another year older. Yet my dreams were still to be born. I prayed, pondered and petitioned for them to bloom. Days were gray and lonely, followed by nights of laying head on pillow with hopes unseen, murmuring a sleepy Tomorrow, tomorrow, you're only a day away. Yet each day turned into another turned into 365; nothing changed.



As I gear up to celebrate another flip of ye ol' calendar, the same dreams are incubating still. God's timetable hasn't matched mine. I've grown weary hanging on, come what may. Disappointment threatens to dive my protective mote; it stands at the ready to take my fortress of hope by storm. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. {Zech. 9:12}

Thankfully, wisdom faithfully speaks: His mercy and truth are the sieve our thoughts and emotions must be filtered through.

Dreams deferred don't necessarily equal dreams denied
Dreams derailed don't have to debunk belief

Belief that God is still good.
Belief He's in control.
Belief He has a plan.

Because He is and He does. I asked Him and He mercifully says, I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future {Jere. 29:11}.

So today, as I look on the horizon of 365 more days, I will hold my disappointment up to the truth and hold my hope more tightly. I will ask for courage to believe that all things work together for good. And I will not forget that He gave me these dreams and He is faithful to complete what He begins.

How about you? What dreams are you waiting on? How can we pray for you?

xoxo, Sam


Going Deeper
Lay out your dreams before the Lord, asking which are His dreams too or which might not be in His will.

What might He be asking you to do to position yourself for these to come to pass? Nothing changes if everything is done the same. Is it time to do things differently?

Filter your thoughts through this verse:
LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
{Psalm 16}

Jump off the train of negative thoughts with us! Catch up here.

He's not forgotten you. {The LORD remembers us and will bless us. ~Psalm 115}

27 comments:

Eileen said...

Loved this, "I will hold my disappointment up to the truth and hold my hope more tightly." Amen to that! He is so much bigger than our disappointments! Happy early birthday :)

Connecting to the soul said...

As I read this I was all ready to encourage you to wait on His timing. Because as you said all thinks work for His glory. But as I read I saw you holding your dreams up. Good for you. Birthdays have a way of making you look back and see what hasn't been done before showing us what has been. Happy early birthday

Unknown said...

It is hard to not grow weary while waiting for promises to be fulfilled. But we know that God is faithful. His ways are not our ways; His timing is different. We rest in knowing that He does have a plan for us. Keep looking up!
Many blessings.

Kandi said...

I get how you feel,year after passes and nothing changes, I feel the dreams He has placed in my heart are just sitting there dormant. Whatever He is waiting for He is doing it for His glory.

Blessings.

Anonymous said...

i'm right there with you and thank you for sharing your struggle! i will be holding my disappointments up against God's promises. i'm waiting too. i'll be praying for you & others like us.

Kissed by the Creator said...

We think so much a like. I talk aobut filters alot when discussing our feelings/expectations/emotions. I am so with you on this one. And happy soon to be birthday!

Fields of gold said...

Thanks Eileen!! Holding hope in His light and truth is the best way!

Fields of gold said...

Thanks so much! Birthdays do have a way of causing us to reflect... on good and not to good. What a great time to refocus and re-establish our roots in Him!

Fields of gold said...

Lisa, such great truths... God is faithful... now and forever. Thanks for your kind words! Blessings!

Fields of gold said...

Kandi, I pray your dreams... HIS dreams for YOU... come to pass quickly dear friend!

Fields of gold said...

Dear Anonymous... it's a tough road to walk. I pray He fulfills His purposes for you and redeems any thing that's been lost in the waiting period. Thanks for praying!

Fields of gold said...

Connie, filters are so important. i'm always amazed at how rampant emotions can run and take over. Thanks for your encouragement! And Birthday Wishes!! :)

Anonymous said...

I am with you in the waiting game...I know He has a perfect plan just for me but at 34 still single and year after year those dreams are not fulfilled I have been right where you have,discouraged... but I know My father is faithful and am so thankful each time I bring my dissapointment to Him, he renews and restores my hope and strengthens me to hold on! :)Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us..your words have been spoken several times over the last few weeks at the perfect time and God has used them in a big way to speak to me... I will be praying for you!

romelleb said...

Everywhere I turn, God is speaking to me about dreams. (I found this post through suggested twitter follows.)I haven't begun to sort it all out yet , but I know they are important to God. I would love to read more on this topic.

stephanie said...

Samantha Reed! He calls you by name, does He not? Samantha Reed, what blessings He has for you. Packed up there in the storage building, waiting for the perfect time to drop from the sky and bonk you in the head when you least expect it :) I love you dearest Sam, you bless my heart every time I read what you write, be it on Twitter, FB, or your blog. Indeed you are in a pleasant place, the Lords arms, and pleasant places more to come :)

Fields of gold said...

Dear Anonymous, I hear your heart and understand the longing to be married. That is one of my dreams I feel the Lord's given me and I'm waiting on.

Praying He continues to renew you, even you least expect it. He holds you gently and your dreams with care.

Thanks so much for your encouragement and prayers! Right back atcha!!

Fields of gold said...

Hi Romelleb, So glad you popped over! I'll be posting some more on this topic and would love to hear your thoughts too as we journey deeper into trust and faith in His dreams for us!

Fields of gold said...

Awww, Steph... tears springing up in my eyes. Thank you for your lifting words. You're so right... He's got good plans that He will fulfill.

"One thing I have asked, this I will seek... a place near His altar..." Pleasant indeed!

Love you!!!

Adelina said...

Thank you!
It's timely... i can relate with you and it's just exactly what I am feeling now... about the dreams, about the hope...about faith. Then I found my self is at the end of my rope. Trying to live one day at a time. Whispering a small prayer at the end of the day "I will try again tomorrow"
Thank you for sharing this, feel much better to know that I'm not alone on this.
God bless you!

Anonymous said...

Can I ask a question? How can i know what are my dreams and what are god's? What if my dream isn't on His agenda? It scares me.

Ingrid said...

With my birthday coming near I recognize your feelings. Becoming 30, everybody happy...but as I am coming close to that date, thoughts about how I ever imagined how it would be 'being 30' cross my head more and more. Reality is miles away from that imagination. Even though I can say that in the last period I have given God more and more place in my life and Jer. 29:11 is one of my favourites, this feeling of unfulfilled dreams can hurt badly. Hang on and thanx for sharing!

Fields of gold said...

Hi Adelina... beautiful name!!

It's so nice to know we're not alone. Knowing others are going through this too helps my heart as well. I pray hope awakens you each morning and peace kisses you to sleep each night.

Fields of gold said...

Ingrid, totally pegged my thoughts too! Not at all what I dreamt when I was in my pink frilly bedroom as a little girl. Praying HIS reality comes to pass soon for you and hope steadies any uncertainty.

Thanks for praying!

Fields of gold said...

Hi Anonymous... wow, that's a great question.

I'd love for folks to chime in on this one!!

My thoughts... first, we weigh everything up to the Bible. Does it agree and follow what's in the Word? Is it pure and peaceable?

If yes, then I go to trusted, Godly friends and ask them to pray with me to know this is God's will.

Then we wait on the Lord to bring His plans to pass.

Please remember, God can and does work all things for good. I've missed the boat before, but without a doubt, God has turned my wayward ways into something beautiful. Don't be scared, but instead know He is a good shepherd. He still speaks and will let you know and guide you.

I hope this helps!

Everyone else... thoughts?

xoxo, Sam

Anonymous said...

I have been praying,waiting beleiving ,and there have been so many times since the end of o6.. disappointments , but i keep holding on inspite of all,when every voice seems to say move on, i hear the promise and he did not call me to start what he will not complete ..need your prayers

Fields of gold said...

Dear Anonymous...

Holding out hope for years at a time is difficult. The Word even tells us "hope deferred makes a heart sick." God gets it.. it's hard hoping day after day without anything changing, much less year after year.

Let's pray: Dear Lord, you are above all things. You go before us and behind us and we can rest assured that you hear our prayers. I lift my sister up to you right now and ask that you surround her with peace. Please help her receive fresh hope and triumph over any defeated feelings or thoughts. Be with her and hold her tight as you carry out your will in her life. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

Blessings to you sister!

Anonymous said...

Dreams dereailed don't have to debunk belief - this is where I am and have been for a long time. This blog is so helpful - came across it via the Proverbs 31 site just at a point when I'm ready to hang up my hat and give up on prayer, faith or believing God wants me or that I have what it takes to love him or know him.Thanks for this site!x