CAN A DREAM REVEAL NEGATIVE THOUGHTS?
Is God speaking to you through a dream and what if everything in that dream had a deeper meaning?
Dreams function as a vehicle delivering important messages to you the dreamer. If we live in a constant barrage of negative thoughts and feelings, our subconscious seeks to resolve that inner conflict.
Read Job 33:14-18: “For God does speak – now one way, now another, though man may not perceive it, in a dream, in a vision of the night when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds. He may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride – to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.” (NIV translation)
THE EMOTIONAL CLUTTER OF LIFE (as seen thru a dream)
For the sake of time, let’s translate our unresolved emotional issues, traumas, and negative patterns (ex: trust issues, fears or guilt) into the word “baggage” (a common phrase in most counseling circles). What a person carries from their past into the present can negatively affect relationships, decisions, and overall well-being.
It is better to “unpack” our baggage and begin the process of identifying and managing those feelings in a positive way. This is where true healing begins and the negative effect of bad dreams shifts to a more positive outcome.
Remember: Bad dreams and nightmares are often manifestations of emotional baggage reflecting unresolved traumas, stress, anxiety, or emotional pain.
Read Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.”
Self-disclosure dreams:
This is the reality: Our dreams expose the baggage we carry while also reflecting the conditions of the heart. We call these self-disclosure dreams because they communicate our internal identity – those heart issues that define self-worth, purpose, and emotional state.
If my MO (modus operandi) in tough times is to remain a victim, my dreams may start highlighting unresolved emotional pain. The subconscious will work toward solutions signaling that certain life issues need attention, potentially through metaphorical scenarios in dreams that echo waking life.
Self-Condition dreams:
If I assume no responsibility for my emotional responses, it limits my ability to find peace. Pay close attention to the sequence of emotions, characters, and symbols formulated within the context of the dream. Self-condition dreams reveal problem areas that need addressing. They reflect the dreamer’s self-perception and if they are distancing themselves from God.
Letting go of that “victim” label frees us from resentment and bitterness. Therein lies that real opportunity for success! Believe me when I say, your dreams will change for the better.
Fearful dreams:
Dreams can open us up to what we fear might happen. They often play out as “nightmares” with fearful images and scenarios like something out of a horror movie. Fearful dreams take place because we allow too many thoughts of panic, agitation, dread and worry to consume us.
Time for house cleaning and refocusing on where you want to be rather than believing the lie of the enemy. What we fear, we empower! When we focus on the good things in life, we make room for just that.
WHAT OPPORTUNITY LOOKS LIKE (in a dream)
Opportunity means you focus on the positive. No matter how dire your life situation may be, there are always some positives hidden below the surface. You can find them if you are willing to look.
There was a point in my personal life when I found it difficult to see above my circumstances and even focus on the positive. Yes, my dreams were also telling me it was time to take proper action – change my course! Believe it or not, God’s intent is always to show the dreamer that they can change their situation and create a positive outcome.
One day while driving down a stretch of open road not too far from my home, I heard the Lord whisper to me “look up and look out.” When I hear the voice of God that clearly, I always listen intently. I recalled having heard my husband say that once or twice, so I knew it was an important reminder for me.
In the midst of my difficulty lied an opportunity to rise above my current state of affairs. To see with clarity every good thing I was choosing to ignore while choosing to stay stuck in my problems. My spirit went from discord to harmony and perfect peace.
Psalm 30:11 speaks directly to this: “The Lord give strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” A simple act of choosing peace over the discord!
THERE IS A KEY TO IT ALL (find a new direction via a dream)
Look to a future full of hope, not despair. Re-evaluate the meanings you may be attaching to your life and how they play out in your dreams. Do you choose to stay in crisis mode instead of “looking up and out?” Remember God desires to call you out of your history and back into your destiny.
Daniel 2:22 reads, “He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.”