What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered
Have you recently faced the loss of a dream? Maybe you’re wondering what to do next, and you’ve been wrestling with God about this dream. You are in the right place. Today, we’ll have an honest conversation about what to do when your dreams are shattered.
I invite you to join me in the woods with my little boy, and we’ll talk about bringing our broken dreams to the Lord.
What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered
The earth breathes a new aroma, and we sit by the creek to watch the crocus rise. I could use a dose of hope today, but I don’t mention my heavy heart to my little boy. Instead, I say, “Isn’t springtime wonderful with everything coming back to life?”
“Yes,” he says, “springtime is wonderful with everything coming back to life.”
He’s been repeating my words lately, and I’m trying to be extra careful about the words I speak.
We sit in the sunshine and soak in the warmth of the day.
Springtime feels like an invitation to begin again. The slate is wiped clean, and the world gets a fresh start. Regardless of the dreams that died in wintertime, springtime offers the opportunity to step outside and begin again. I reflect on this renewal as we sit by the creek.
You probably know about broken-down dreams as well.
What to Do When Your Dreams Are Shattered in Pieces
The death of a dream can be a crushing blow. It’s tempting to lose hope and succumb to despair.
Let’s look at some practical steps to take when our dreams are crushed.
1. Grieve the loss.
It’s important to give ourselves time and space to grieve the losses of our dreams.
Depending on how much time is invested in the pursuit of our goals, we might need weeks, months, or even years to process these losses. We can grieve in healthy ways by talking about our losses and giving ourselves permission to feel disappointed.
Often, when my dreams fall short, the voice of shame tells me to stop being wimpy and move on. At other times, this voice mocks me, whispering, Who do you think you are to dare to dream great dreams? Of course you failed.
Friends, let’s not listen to the voice of shame. That voice is a liar.
We are called to dream great dreams as we aim to live for God’s glory. Those dreams don’t always work out according to our expectations, but this does not mean we should stop dreaming! When dreams fall short, we need to give ourselves grace and grieve these losses.
2. Consider hidden motives.
I ask myself the question I often ask when a dream is shattered in my life. Anytime a dream dies in my life, I stop and ask, “What were the hidden motives beneath this dream?”
In other words, was this dream an effort to make a name for myself, make money, create more comfort in my life, or serve a self-centered desire? Often, I realize my shattered dreams were birthed from mixed motives. Part of the dream was about building God’s kingdom, but another part of the dream was about serving myself.
At other times, I discern pure motives beneath the dream. I hoped to launch a ministry and help women encounter Jesus, or I wanted to write a book to help others fall in love with God.
Even when our motives are pure, our dreams don’t often work out the way we envision. God brings our dreams to pass in his way—in his timing—and we can trust that his ways are always better than our ways. (More on this here.)
As I reflect on the dreams from the past year, I remind myself of this: God can use our mixed motives for his purposes, but when our dreams are mostly about serving ourselves, God often lets our dreams die out of his love and protection.
What dream in your life feels like it has died?
As you delve into the motives beneath this dream, were your motives self-serving, or were your motives focused on bringing glory to God? What is God showing you? What would it look like to align your heart with God’s heart in this area?
3. Turn to God for direction.
Seek the Lord as you determine your next steps. Meanwhile, remember this: If the dream was from God, you can trust him to resurrect it when the time is right.
When a dream is God-given, we can trust God to bring the dream to pass in his perfect timing. Spend some time talking with the Lord about the details of a dream that feels dead in your life.
When a dream is God-given, we can trust God to bring the dream to pass in his perfect timing. #followingGod #hope #encounteringGod Share on XWhat did you hope to accomplish through your dream, and how have you navigated the disappointment? Ask God to help you trust him to revive the dream if it is in his perfect will.
Today, I encourage you to write a prayer of trust and surrender and put it somewhere safe to encourage you when you grow weary as you wait on the Lord. You can trust God to open every door that is right and close every door that is not right in your life. He never stops working on your behalf.
4. Cling to biblical hope.
Last, as you pursue God and seek his direction, stand on his Word. His Word can give you hope as you seek his guidance. Here are some verses to stand on:
Bible Verses for Hope:
1. God can bring dry bones to life in his timing.
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life (Ezekiel 37:5 NIV).
2. Nothing is too hard for God.
Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you (Jeremiah 32:17).
3. God wants to use your disappointment for your good and his glory.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
As we stand to leave the creek, the little boy slips his hand into mine. We meander slowly through the valley, and with the crocus, hope arises.
A Free Devotional to Help You Draw Close to God:
I have a gift for you today. Glimpses of Hope for When Life Lets You Down is my free online devotional to help lift your head. You will find daily readings to help you heal in God’s presence. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today!
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