Atmosphere: Waiting (Vol. 1) | an Instrumental DevotionalSample

Day 6: HOPE DEFERRED

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?  How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. –Psalm 13:1–6 (NIV)

It always starts with fired-up faith. We say, “I know You’ll do it, God. Nothing is impossible for You.” And we set out with hopes high to pray for the impossible.

But what if the breakthrough doesn’t happen, the healing doesn’t come, or the enemy remains on the horizon? We pray again, but with a little less fire this time. And we pray again, but maybe with a little less determination. And we pray again.  

We can hear the melody of waning expectation in today’s song, “Hope Deferred.”  Each repetition sinking a little lower. Spirits lifted and fallen again. Distortion as the song and the prayer progresses—doubt tickling at the corners of our faith.

His Word says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” It’s not a promise that hope won’t ever be deferred; it’s compassion, maybe even permission, to acknowledge the pain it brings. He’s not unaware.  

David was no stranger to deferred hope. Hiding in a cave, waiting for the Lord to deliver him from the half-crazed King Saul who wanted him dead. Even in the pain of waiting, he has hope. David’s complaint of “When will you?” implies in itself a very real, deep faith. He hasn’t yet, but He will. Not “Will You?“ but “When will You?” David’s heart is sick, but his faith is strong, which is clear in the last stanza of the Psalm as he reminds his heart what to believe: “I will sing the Lord’s praise for He has been good to me.” It’s a decision to praise amid the heartache.

Are you waiting for something He promised? Is your heart sick with the longing? It’s in these moments that the enemy would love to convince you that you’re faithless. He would love to heap shame on top of disappointment and break in with his lies of doubt about you and your faith, or about your God and what He cannot do. Don’t let him. The Psalms are testimony that discouragement is not the opposite of faith.  

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?
Today, as you listen to the simple melodies presented in this song, give your heart permission to ache. Listen for the Holy Spirit to respond. Remind your heart, like David did, that the story isn’t over. Remind your heart of what God has done and what you can trust Him to do. And then, in the bravest step of all, praise Him for it.

Music: Cole Novak & Michael Phelps

Devotional: Loisa Matthys