By Donna Astern
Dreaming more lately? Do you wake up puzzled by a dream and wonder if it means anything? Or do you tend to discount it as nothing more than “last night’s pizza”?
The Bible says that dreaming will increase as a part of the “Spirit being poured out upon all mankind”… “your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17) There are several reasons for dreams, but, oftentimes the source of many of these dreams is spiritual. If you had such a dream, are you curious about why you had it and what it means?
(Proverbs 25:2 NAS) “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”
God, who loves puzzles and mysteries, provided you with an opportunity to search out the meaning and comprehend the message of the dream. Likewise, Jesus taught deep spiritual truth using parables, stories about everyday life which the audience could visualize in their minds. Even so, many of his listeners did not understand the true meaning.
If “a picture is worth 1,000 words”, then when you have a spiritual dream, you get an illustrated version of a concept or idea or truth that leaves an impression.
Not all dreams are from God, however even dreams from the human spirit can provide valuable insight into your own heart and mind.
Just as with parables, there are often everyday elements in a dream that speak to a particular topic…
For example, Jesus taught that the word of God is like a seed sown on the ground with the potential to bring a tremendous harvest. A dream about an unused packet of seeds might refer to under-utilized truth or untapped potential.
In our modern-day vernacular, people use metaphors and colorful expressions, such as “he gave the shirt off his back”, “snake in the grass” and, “raining cats and dogs”.
Once you understand dreams are rarely literal, it is reassuring when having had an unusual dramatic dream. The overall sense of the dream is important. Does the dream reveal a fear or prejudice? A life calling? A promise? Or a solution to a problem?
Studying the parables and other passages is one way to develop a sense of symbolic meaning for dream elements. It will also add depth to your understanding when you notice the various meanings for words such as “water” and “house”.
Sometimes a dream is so puzzling, you need help to decipher it. Some of our ministers are experienced interpreters. Additionally, a training workshop is a very helpful and eye-opening resource for better understanding the messages you receive in your dream life.
Sweet dreams tonight!