What is a Dream?

From our childhood till the end, everyone has dreams – maybe small or big. They differ according to ones age and requirements. It is something each and every human has till they live.

A dream is a situation where you would want to be. It is a situation which is not within your limits at that point of time.  Something you want very badly but not able to attain. One may dream about a good job, a big house, an exotic vacation, and so on.

How are your dreams fulfilled?

If your dream is genuine and if you work hard with faith, God will arrange situations to fulfill your dreams.

In the Bible many a times, it is written as to how God helped his faithful servants to fulfill their dreams. There are many examples in the Bible that show how God created situations that helped realize a dream.

One such example is that about Joseph the dreamer, in the Old Testament (Genesis 37:24-27). Joseph was the most beloved son of Jacob among all his children. He was envied by his brothers because of this. So, they wanted to do away him. 

At the very first opportunity they plotted to kill him. He was thrown into a pit by his own envious brothers. They wanted to leave him in the pit to die. But at that very moment a caravan of Ishmaelites/Midianites from Gilead was passing that way. This was God’s plan. 

At the advice of the elder brother Judah, the brothers took him out of the pit and decided to sell him. He told them that instead of killing their own blood, they can sell him for money. So, they sold him for 20 silver coins to the Midianites.

When they sold Joseph, he was a young boy. He was just a seventeen-year-old boy. He had no knowledge of any work. He did not have any skills. 

Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave by the Midianites. In Egypt, the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar. Potiphar was the captain of Pharaoh’s palace guards. 

In Egypt, Joseph worked hard and was very obedient to the Egyptian official, Potiphar. He taught Joseph all the administrative skills. Though Joseph was not familiar with any of the work, he learnt all of it.

Through continuous hard work, he became successful. From a slave he became an administrator of Egypt. Later he became the Prime Minister of Egypt under Pharaoh and a leader of that country.

All through his hardships and troubles he relied on God. God made him strong and capable to hold a powerful position. It is God, who arranged all the situations to make Joseph a powerful ruler.

If the Ishmaelites and Midianites had not passed by when Joseph was thrown in the pit, he would have died sooner or later in it. But because of God’s perfect plan, he was sold to the Midianites and later led the country where he was a slave. 

In the same way with Abraham – God had promised him that he would have sons and many descendants. But when God told him to sacrifice his only son Issac, Abraham didn’t even doubt God for a second. He took his son for the sacrifice on the Mount Moriah. Abraham knew that God’s promise is fire tested.

Abraham knew, God would fulfill his promise and HE will arrange situations to fulfill them. At the crucial time, God stopped him from sacrificing his only son Issac and provided him with a lamb for sacrifice instead of his son.

God knows the exact time as to when He has to come. We only need to trust in Him and His plans. God may send us trials and tribulations. But these situations are only so that He may prepare us to realize our dreams. 

God knows the exact time, place and situations. He knows the right time to fulfill our dreams. If Joseph was not sold to the Midianites, he would not have become the Prime Minister of Egypt. Through all his slavery and persecutions, Joseph was faithful to God.

So always trust in the Lord. He will fulfill your dreams. But keep in mind that your dreams or desires should meet God’s Will. There is nothing impossible for God. He can move the mountains.

When Moses was chosen to lead the Israelites out of slavery of Egypt, he had to leave all the luxuries of Pharaoh’s palace. He was chased by Pharaoh’s army into the wilderness. 

He had to work as a servant in his father-in-law, Jethro’s house. A person who lived like a prince in Pharaoh’s palace had to live like a servant shepherding Jethro’s flock for many years.

This is also true in the case of David. Though he was anointed as the king, he was tortured and had to undergo hardships at the hand of Saul. David was only 17 when he was anointed the king. But he had to wait for 15 years to actually rule as a king.

He had to run from one place to another, hiding in caves and forests to save his life. But through all this he trusted in the Lord. So, God fulfilled his purpose in David by making him a king.

In Romans 8:28 it is written that all things work together for good. So we need to remember that for those who love God, all things work together for good.

Our God is a loving father in heaven. He never punishes us. But, sometimes, He needs to discipline us. We may have to go through pruning before we reach our goals. God never abandons us. Instead He gives us the best. 

After our trials are over and we find fulfillment of our dreams, only then do we realize that all those difficult situations helped us realize our dreams. We only need to love him and trust him.   

Transcribed by Greta Furtado