Empty dreams

Dreaming rarely gets us anywhere. In the Christian life, God is looking for realists not dreamers – people who have worked out their faith in the context of real events, real difficulties, real relationships. When we dream things for ourselves, we are just storing up for ourselves disappointment, disillusionment and sadness. There is usually little space in our dreams for God to do his sovereign will, since we have decided what we want to happen.  We then try to twist God’s arm into doing what we want and are only half listening to his voice of guidance. Dreams do not come from a heart seeking that ‘He might become greater and I might become less’ (John 3:30) Dreams are rarely about seeking what is best for others but are about ‘my hopes’, ‘my ambitions’, ‘my needs’. If we are truly laying everything on the table for God there is no place for pre-requisites or reservations - nothing held back and nothing stipulated either.

I don’t know about you but my life seems a long way at times from this total surrender to Christ. Not only that but no sooner has something been laid on the table than the ‘old man’ snatches it back again. This is a constant battle, and a painful, painful battle. It inevitably involves trying to peel away what we are most wedded to. The old self wants to cling on to the right to self-determination, the ability to seek its own happiness, the apparent ability to avoid the pain and suffering involved in living for Christ and for others.  But that is what we ought to be doing  – each day consciously placing ourselves and our resources 100% at God’s disposal for him to do with us as he will. There is no place at this altar for personal dreams.