Chasing Hope

It's funny how cheesy it can be to talk about dreams. You hear about it a lot in movies, and a cartoon character is often staring out into the distance, singing a song about dreams coming true. In fact, if it's a Disney song, I know all the words. There are going to be a lot of Disney references in this week's article. Are you ready to catch all of my “hidden Mickeys?” As cliché as it has become, we all have those dreams. Look at the movie “Tangled”, for example. Rapunzel has an incredible dream that seems so impossible to achieve, and yet she continues to dream it and never lets go. Sometimes we find that we are the starry-eyed princess in our own fairy tale, singing about the things we hope and long for. We look at that dream, no matter how far off it may be in the distance, and we are amazed by it, knowing that someday the dream that we wish will come true. But what happens when we start to lose that hope? When the stars in our eyes begin to fade? Proverbs 13:12 tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Have you ever felt that you are suffering from a hope deferred? The definition of the word “defer” is to put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone. When a dream that we wish for with all our might is postponed, it can discourage us. The longer it is put off, the more discouraged we can be. Going back to the story of Rapunzel, we see in Disney's film that she meets a group of ruffians in a tavern called “The Snuggly Duckling.” At first, she is terrified of these men, but soon she begins to see that they, as the name of their tavern suggests, are really nothing to fear. They are rough and gruff on the outside because their dreams, their hopes, are deferred. She discovers this when she tells them of her dream and one of them responds wistfully, “I had a dream...once.” This inspires the entire group of men to reawaken the dreams that have laid dormant in their hearts, inspiring hopelessness.

Do you have a dream that has been deferred today? No matter what that dream is, if it's something that God has given you, He will fulfill it. Ephesians 3:20-21 says: Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. It's often hard to remember that when we know that His timing is not our timing, but I promise you that if you don't let go of that dream, if you continue to wish upon that star...well...you know the rest. Put your hope in Him, and put that dream firmly in His hands. He's working behind the scenes while you work here on earth. It might take a few months for that dream to come true, or it might take most of your lifetime. Don't give up when it feels like things are taking too long. If you get discouraged, that's ok, but don't stay discouraged. The fulfillment of your calling is worth chasing and waiting for. In the words of Hercules: I am on my way, I can go the distance. I'll be there someday if I can be strong. I know every mile will be worth my while. Now, I hope you'll excuse me while I go chase my second star to the right. Join me, will you? Nothing can stop us now.