What do you remember about a recent dream? You may recall some wondrous details, such as feeling like you’re flying, seeing vivid colors, or hearing mesmerizing music. You may have dreamed about symbols that are meaningful for you, or even received a special message from God while dreaming. Perhaps you had a nightmare instead of a positive dream. All types of dreams are transcendent experiences that can lead you to awe, helping you learn something important. You can experience a world of wonder in your dreams. Here’s why dreams are portals to awe.
Your mind is open to all sorts of possibilities while dreaming. You’re relaxed and focused – free of the stress and distractions of waking life. In a dream state, you can also access information in your subconscious mind, which you’re not aware of while you’re awake. You can reflect on your experiences, process your thoughts and feelings, and perceive inspiration powerfully in dreams. The symbols in your dreams help your mind make valuable connections. If you’ve asked the Holy Spirit to renew your mind, that process will happen all the time – both when you’re awake and when you’re asleep – so every dream will help you learn and grow in some way. When you dream, you can connect with inspiration beyond the time and space boundaries you live in while awake. The result is often experiencing awe.
Wake Up to Wonder includes a section on how to learn from your dreams. It covers various ways you can encounter awe while dreaming, and how to hear from God through your dreams. God may communicate with you through dreams with messages like these:
Sending you creative ideas
Guiding you to solve problems
Healing you from past pain
Giving you a prophecy about the future
Warning about you an issue that needs attention
Encouraging you with peace or confidence
Facilitating dream visitations from loved ones
God speaks often through dreams, even when we don’t realize that’s happening: “For God does speak – now one way, now another – though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds” (Job 33:14-15). Every dream you experience – no matter how perplexing it may be – is a gift that can help you learn and grow while enjoying wonder along the way.