Anticipation

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

“Oh, man, Christmas is almost over,” my husband moaned.

I shot him an incredulous look. “It’s December 20. What do you mean it’s almost over? It hasn’t even happened yet!”

“I know, but I’m still sad,” he said with a shrug.

Every year without fail, Tim expresses disappointment when the season is almost over. He loves Christmas and all it brings—the Hallmark movies, the lights, the red and green decor, and the time spent gathering with friends and family to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Though I don’t share his disappointment, I understand his point of view. The end of a season, a vacation, a role in a company, or an education program—many endings bring mixed feelings even if they’re something that we’ve anticipated.

In fact, anticipation often serves a role in motivating us to move forward in life. Looking ahead to an event stimulates the limbic cortex—where happiness and excitement are derived—and releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in the “reward center” of our brain. A study in 2017 showed that the brain activity of people who thought about a positive, upcoming activity indicated a greater sense of well-being.^a What we think about the future impacts how we feel in the present.

We like to think that happiness is found in the fulfillment of a dream, but the truth is that even the anticipation of it—“when the desire comes,” as today’s verse says—brings life and renewal. This hope-filled expectation for what lies ahead isn’t just true of our dreams for the future but is also a reality of what lies ahead in our Christian walk. We do not live like those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13) but instead have the confident expectation that our entire lives can be lived with anticipation for life ahead—a life with Jesus, by his side—forever. While we wait, let’s find reasons to thank God for everything we have to look forward to each day—including Christmas.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

What’s one thing (a vacation, a holiday, an event) you are looking forward to? Spend time thanking God for it, finding joy in the anticipation.