What To Do When Your Dreams Fail
7 Bible Based Tips
by CRYSTAL MCDOWELL
Most people believe that by working really hard, they will
succeed in life and all their dreams will come true.
However, life doesn’t always turn out like we dreamed.
In spite of our best efforts: marriages fail, companies
scale down, the economy drops, children become prodigals, sickness and disease
take lives or stifle productivity, etc…
Being a believer in Christ Jesus does not wrap
you in a bubble so that the pains and tragedies of life cannot touch you or
your family.
However being a Christian guarantees a life that is marked
by the presence and hand of God in everything that you do, everything that
you are exposed to, and every dream that has failed.
Meditate on the following Bible based tips to find your peace and
direction when your dreams fail.
Tip
#1) Surrender
your failed dreams to God
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7, NKJV).
It is a crushing experience to lose your heart’s desire.
This can be the loneliest period of time because no one can really feel your
pain unless they have gone through a heartbreaking loss.
Yet there’s nothing that can happen to you unless God
allows it. Even in this, God is in control and you can have hope in the midst
of it.
In your mind, hold up your failed dream to God and place it
at the foot of the cross—trusting in Him to replenish your brokenness.
Tip #2) Allow yourself time to grieve
“There is
a time for everything…a time to weep” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4).
Some people attempt to shrug off their disappointment and
pretend that it never happened.
However, some unforeseen event can trigger deep sadness and
weariness that will eventually stop them in their tracks.
It is healthy to cry, to mourn, or to shout out if
necessary, “Life’s unfair!”
Jesus cried and He was God in the flesh. He allowed His
human emotions to pour out in the form of tears and grief.
There is refreshing power from the Spirit of God when we
allow our vulnerability to be exposed.
In our human frailness, we run out of dreams.
However, our God never stops provoking our hearts towards purpose. He transfers to each of His children a spiritual drive towards finishing the race.
Tip #3) Communicate with close family and friends
“That I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed” (Romans 15:32).
Most of your close family and friends will have very little to say. Many times they may feel overwhelmed at your distress and their inability to make everything alright for you.
This is not necessarily a time for them to offer countless words of advice that you may not be able to contain anyway.
Rather, wise friends close their mouths to open their ears and hearts listening to the painful outpouring of your heart in a safe place. This is the body of Christ in motion.
Tip #4) Reassess your priorities
“The beginning of wisdom
is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7).
Our dreams may have come to an end for many
reasons. Perhaps we were overly compulsive and irresponsible. Or perhaps we
were at the mercy of other people’s bad decisions.
Whatever the reason, there needs to be a time of
solitude and reflection in the presence of God.
Get away from the busyness and distractions
of life to spend time talking and listening to God’s direction.
His ways are not our ways and we must be willing
to submit to His plan for our lives even though we don’t clearly see the way.
Tip #5) Seek out new dreams from God
“The purposes of a
person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out” (Proverbs 20:5).
In our human frailness, we run out of dreams.
However, our God never stops provoking our
hearts towards purpose. He transfers to each of His children a spiritual drive
towards finishing the race.
Many of us want to give up after one or two laps
around our faith journey.
Yet those who strive in the belief that God
is able—there’s great reward and satisfaction of a job well completed in
Christ.
We were made to survive hardship, conquer doubt,
and rise up in the name of Jesus.
Tip #6) Discipline your thoughts to align with faith
in God and His Word
“To be made new in the
attitude of your minds” (Ephesians
4:23).
Sometimes when our dreams are shattered, we do
not know how to think anymore. We have trained our minds in such a way that it
seems impossible to go about life any differently.
However, as believers, we have the power of God
to retrain our thoughts according to the promises of His word rather than
following the edicts of our human minds.
Search the scriptures diligently to find the
passage that speaks most to your situation—memorize it until you can
comfortably recite it with ease and your mind will eventually comply.
Tip #7) Embrace your God-given new dreams
“I will repay you for the
years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25).
When our dreams are lost, it’s difficult to
imagine that we will ever attain our desired joy. Discouragement is one of the
most deadly of attacks from the devil.
He wants our eyes focused on what we’ve lost
instead of what we have to gain in Christ.
God wants our undivided attention and commitment
solely on Him. For it is only through Him that we can attain greater pleasure
and satisfaction for new dreams.
Dream Again!
There’s hope for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ to live a
fulfilling, rich life full of destiny and purpose. It doesn’t always come easy,
but it’s worth the journey of faith that will end with much reward for those
who never give up.
Would you want to have a deeper relationship with God?
God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience
an amazing change in your own life by
receiving His Son, Jesus Christ, and have eternal life.
Say the following prayer:
“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from
You.
I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life
and live a new life pleasing to You.
Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.
I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected
from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.
I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my
heart from this day forward. Thank You that according to your Word, I am now
born again.
Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will
for the rest of my life.
Please use me for Your glory.
In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.”
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What a beautiful
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Tears Are A Language God
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“You Raise Me Up”
Westlife
NI BHRAONAIN, EITHNE/RYAN, NICKY/RYAN, ROMA SHANE
lyrics
When I am down and oh my soul so weary,
When troubles come and my heart burdened be.
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit a while with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
When troubles come and my heart burdened be.
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit a while with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
You raise me up, to more than I can be.
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