In the first instance, if hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life – then change your hope! Seek after those desires God delights to fill – and you will know true life. Continue to hope after what may never be yours, and you will sink in a bottomless abyss of disappointment and aching unfulfillment. Set your desire on the good things in Christ, and you will be satisfied beyond your desires.

We can see how this has undermined many in the faith, when the hope of Jesus’ return has been impacted over and over by failed predictions. When people get their hopes up over and over because some errantly set dates, or point to specific events, it isn’t long before their heart wearies of it, and perhaps even stops hoping altogether. This is one reason why date setting and sign watching is so destructive.

But in the 2nd, even if our hope is the return of Christ, it is not fitting to be sick in waiting. It is something the Believer needs to reckon with. Just because the hope tarries, is no reason to give up. For when it is fulfilled at last, the resulting tree of life will more than overshadow and displace the temporary dis-ease of waiting period. Be content with this “sickness”. It has a glorious end.