Article: What happened to all my dreams? | Benoy J. Thomas, UAE

We’ve all had those seasons and junctions in our lives where we’ve sat back, looked up and asked ourselves, why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong to deserve this? Haven’t I always remained faithful to God? What happened to all those dreams he showed me? Were they all lies?

You might have been wounded, broken, betrayed, hated, rejected, falsely accused, and battered by people around you. One after the other, year after year, wondering, when will it all end? When will I see the light at the end of the tunnel? When will I be able to breathe again? And the one response you might get when you whisper these under your breath and cringe within saying “God I have nothing left in me”, might just be silence.

But if you’re reading this, be reminded that silence isn’t the end of your journey. But rather just the beginning, before something beautiful gets unravelled. I’m reminded of the great story of Joseph – The Dreamer. We do end up highlighting and celebrating his great redemption at the end of his suffering, but little do we focus on the road that led to that grand celebration, which was filled with pain, doubt & hopelessness. Irrespective of the fact that he always chose the high road and the path of righteousness, what followed weren’t pleasant rewards or a voice from the heavens saying, “My Good and Faithful Steward”. And the reason for that was that his journey wasn’t done yet. His story was still being written.

I’m reminded of a Psalm that’s commonly recited, by the Jews, on the first day of the Passover – Psalms 105. From Verses 17 – 19, it reads “Then HE sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.” If you carefully read this passage, you’ll come to realize that the whole journey was orchestrated by God. From having him sold as a slave, to being falsely accused and thrown in prison, to finally raising him up to rule one of the greatest civilizations men has ever known. When Joseph saw the dream as a kid, he probably imagined it playing out differently. His simple interpretations might have been where he’d remain within his father’s household, and there would come a time when his brothers (who hated him) and parents would accept me. But God had other plans for this young boy. God chose to pluck him away, and shattered his dreams to the ground before finally building up ‘The Dream’ that no one else could have ever dreamt of or imagined. One that nations and generations would talk about and be left in awe of the greatness and faithfulness of God. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” But sometimes we fail to realize this and try to confine God to our ways and interpretations of life, which in turn leads to disappointments along the way.

But Joseph too had to go through a character formation, as it says in verse 19, before it was time for his dreams to be fulfilled. Through that period, God the potter will remain silent while he moulds and makes you into that perfect vessel. It’s a misnomer to believe that if you walk with God and serve God, you won’t have any trouble. The reality is “They that live Godly, shall suffer persecution” – 2 Tim 3:12. You don’t get to pick, how or what the suffering is, it happens. But all our God is expecting from you during this time of silence is to “Be Still & Trust in him”. HIS love will never fail you. His grace will surround you and he’ll never let go of you. Apostle Paul too declared, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” ~ 2 Cor 4:8-10

What gives you the integrity of the message, is the things you suffer behind the scenes, for you to have the convictions to be able to declare them. To know that God has proven it in you. You’ll find yourself asking questions you’ve never asked before. And through time, you’ll grow and understand the mysteries behind it.
The path to fulfilling the dreamer’s dream is a tough journey. Let me take you through another theological mystery of the scriptures. The name Joseph meant “God will add” but for it to happen, he had to go through that character-forming process. You start to realize that tribulation is a part of training (1 Peter 1:7). And the proven test of that was when, after his release from prison, God blessed him with his first-born son Manasseh, which meant, ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house’. That forgiveness was the start of the next chapter in his life, where soon after, he was blessed with the next gift Ephraim which meant, ‘God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes. Always remember, there is purpose in your pain, so never lose your hope. There is light coming at the end of the tunnel. The dreams you saw will come true. And no matter where you are in life, you’re never alone. But keep your eyes focused on God and remain faithful till the very end.

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