“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” — Proverbs 13:12

There are seasons that come and go, and there are seasons which just never seem to end. Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in a season that just won’t end? Maybe it’s a season of waiting for healing, a breakthrough in a relationship, or an ongoing problem that needs resolving. 

At first, you hold on to hope. You pray. You believe that Spring is just around the corner. But as time passes by and answers seem distant, hope feels like an eternal Winter.

The writer of Proverbs knew this experience well. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” This verse speaks to that ache deep down within us when the thing we long for is not happening. Over and over again. The waiting is unbearable. It’s not just disappointment—it’s a weariness of the soul.

Folks, my soul is so weary. 

But the verse doesn’t stop there. It offers hope: “A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” When our hope is realised, it’s like new life springing forth, renewing our spirit in a way that keeps us going. However, when we are in that season of waiting, it’s almost impossible to see how that tree of life will ever grow.

The Season of Waiting

The Bible is filled with stories of people who experienced long seasons of waiting. Abraham waited decades for the son that God promised him. Moses had to wait 40 years before leading the nation of Israel out of Egyptian captivity. When Jesus finally came, even He had to wait 30 years before His purpose and promise was fully realised. 

Waiting often feels like wandering through a wilderness without a map. We question God’s timing. We wonder if He has forgotten us. Yet, the very nature of longing brings a deeper truth: we were created to desire something greater than this broken world can offer.

The Hope of Christmas

So, where is this hope? (Spoiler alert – This is where Christmas comes in). The birth of Jesus is God’s ultimate answer to the long-held hopes of His people. For centuries, they longed for rescue. And here it comes, in a quiet stable in Bethlehem, their hope was realised. Jesus is the reminder that even when we don’t see it, God is always working to fulfil His purpose.

Christmas reminds us that no season of waiting is permanent. The same God who sent His Son into the world sees our waiting and our longing. While the solution may not arrive in the way or the timing we expect, the hope of Jesus is the tree of life we can cling to even in the longest, hardest seasons.

Holding on to Hope

As we celebrate Christmas, let’s allow the joy of Christ’s arrival to remind us that our longing isn’t forever. Our hope is not in circumstances, but in the unshakable truth that God is with us—Emmanuel. Even when we can’t yet see the tree of life, we can trust that it is growing, rooted in the promises of the One who came to give us eternal hope.

This Christmas, may you find peace in knowing that your longing is seen, your hope is not forgotten, and the God who fulfilled the ultimate promise will bring new life to your heart once again.

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This post was originally written for the Five Minute Friday Community. This is where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt. We write to our hearts content, but only for five minutes (or there about).

This weeks word prompt is ‘long’. Click here if you want to see what other people wrote. You can also have a go yourself. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘long ’?