what to do when your dream is dormant.

Reflecting back on yesterday’s post of what happens when you don’t have a dream anymore, thoughts    are stirring from what I’m learning and also from your comments.

The unsettling part right now, is not that I don’t have a dream. I mean, I could tell you places I want to travel, books I need to write, and ministry opportunities I long for. But that’s it — they are just dreams. Wishes, some would say.

Maybe there are two kind of dreams.

1. The kind we just throw around randomly wishing and hoping they will come to pass. Oh I have those alright! I could tell you about being healthy, more family time, speaking engagements, ministry opportunities. I have a lot to say about each of those. However, those aren’t the dreams messing with my mind recently.

 

2. The dream I long to have back is the one that lights a fire in your soul. It’s unquenchable. It’s undeniable. It’s one you’ll plan for, go nights without sleep for, and step out of your comfort zone for. That dream — that’s the one I want! It’ll make you leave the comfortable and stretch yourself beyond imagination to see it fulfilled. That’s the dream I miss.

Could this be a season of rest?

While God specifically spoke through scripture for me to ponder over Abraham and Sarah, there was something else God was doing. I hope you aren’t going to be upset. I know I said we’d dig in to what God showed me through them, but first I feel we need to talk about rest.

Don’t roll your eyes. Don’t click off the screen. I can sense you saying, “yea, yea, yea – I’ve heard that a hundred times before.” But seriously!

Do you like to rest? I don’t. And not only is it not natural for me, but our society perpetuates the problem by screaming we all need to be busy doing, doing, doing.

I don’t know how you would categorize your 2012 year. I really don’t have words for mine yet. It was one of the most trying ones I’ve had in ages. Not only was it difficult, but the responsibilities I carried were greater. By the time new years rolled around, I was flat out exhausted from the good, the bad, and the ugly. (btw – there was a whole lot more good, than bad or ugly!)

I prayed. I searched. I longed for direction, goals, and dreams. But I continually came up empty — because I was empty.

When you are empty everything seems dead.

If you are starting the new year worn out, tired, frazzled, and depleted, wondering where your dreams, goals, and passions are, they are lying dormant. Resting.

Before God can do something new, He needs you to rest. And don’t just say, “Well, I took me a Sunday nap I should be good!” That’s not good enough for you nor I. God created a 7th day for me and you! He knew we need a WHOLE DAY’S REST one a week.

I read a comment yesterday from Laura Rath and part of it read —

I read in your response to another comment about God letting you pause for a while. I’ve felt that too–that God was telling me to rest until He said it was time to move. Resting isn’t easy for me either. But, I can tell you that when He said it was time to go–it was time to go. :) (Rest when you can! lol)

Resting. Pausing. Waiting.

I’ve realized I don’t rest well. I don’t pause well. And I certainly don’t wait well. How about you?

If you’ve started the year off feeling kind of aimless, maybe you just need to pause. Rest spiritually, mentally, and physically. The rest will do you good. Once you are rested, God will wake up those dreams lying dormant within you. And as Laura said “Rest when you can, because when He says it’s time to go — it’s time to go!”

Are you struggling with rest? Could that be the reason your passion and dreams are dormant?