When your dreams die, it can feel just like a time when someone you loved died. Nothing seems right. In fact, this is exactly how we are supposed to feel about death. Death is intended to be offensive to our spirits because deep down, we know we were created to live.
If our God is in the business of resurrection, how, then, does He restore our spirits when our dead dreams make us feel desolate? In my experience, God accomplishes His healing work by taking us back to our personal “sacred roots.” Sacred roots are those unique parts of a person that God gives each one of us, in order for life to have meaning and purpose.
These sacred roots are like tree roots that go way down and anchor us. When those roots are exposed as a result of trauma, like a hurricane, the tree dies. The tree itself might be fractured into little splinters blown every which way. I don’t envision God collecting all the splinters and trying to make the same tree live again. I picture Him gathering the roots, planting them, making a stronger, more fruitful tree. And, in this process, He defies death.
In the former blog, Dreams Die Part 1, I shared the story of the time I asked God to show me what my sacred roots were. (1) God was faithful to me and over the course of several months, He revealed three specific sacred roots that needed to be replanted. The first was in the area of how I felt about the talents God had specifically given me. When I experienced my hurricane, I no longer viewed this sacred root as what fed me and kept me alive. I saw it uprooted, and I felt only disgust.
God often heals in ways we don’t expect: in ways that have nothing to do with us and in ways that are truly miraculous because we couldn’t have manipulated it into happening or even conceived of the idea. The following is an excerpt from my journal. It is the story of how God replanted that first sacred root.
“My boss asked me to thank my husband for ‘allowing Mel to take this job.’ I have to say now, though, that the thanks really needs to go to God. God has used this day of training phones in Oregon to begin the process of healing and to answer some of my prayers.
For the last couple of years I’ve been living without the dreams that made me excited to get up and conquer the day. Ron and I had been living out what we believed to be God’s calling on our lives. Then, everything just fell apart. I was personally devastated.
I lost my passion for teaching. I was simply done. I didn’t even care any more if I never taught again because it simply was not safe to allow anyone to hurt me again, and even more than that, I just didn’t have any desire.
Today, I can’t say that I have desire back (in the sense of I just can’t wait to share with someone else what I’ve just learned), but, God has shown me that I do have the ability to teach and that people will respond positively to me (perhaps this is the first step in my complete healing). After training today, people kept saying what I good job I did. At first, the comments felt nice, but then it seemed a little ridiculous because an inordinate amount of people encouraged me. I finally realized God had literally set this day up…just for me.
I can’t even describe what that felt like…. to just suddenly understand why God sent me here to Oregon (when I’d so much rather be home with my sweet children)…..why God ordained this job to happen during our fast…. why God literally forced me into a situation where I had to put some of my gifts to use… or why God would encircle me with people today who only had nice and encouraging things to say.
I get it, Lord. And, thank You. Thank You for preachers who make me ask difficult questions. Thank You for a husband who leads me to do what is right when I just don’t even care anymore. Thank You for friends who see me struggle and love me anyway. Thank You for bosses who push me to go way beyond my comfort zone. Thank You for healing and for the miraculous God-way You bring it about in my life.”
During this time in my life, I discovered that my sacred roots are given to me by God and therefore are to be dedicated to Him. It doesn’t matter how much I fail or am criticized or am hurt. The sacred roots belong to God. When the hurricanes of life come, I must refuse to let those sacred roots be destroyed, even if the rest of me is lying scattered about.
Because I know storms will come again, I need some tools that will enable me to keep those sacred roots securely in the ground. Here are a few lessons I will return to.
Lesson #1: You can be really good at something and some people won’t like you anyway. I had always assumed people would encourage you to use your gifts. I was wrong. One antidote I’ve learned is: be sure of your message (or what it is you are doing) so you can withstand the critics and accusers. I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul. Some loved him and took care of his needs during his arrests and carried letters for him to far away cities. Others hated him and plotted against his life. But, Paul never lost heart; he never let his sacred roots be exposed.
Lesson #2: When you lose heart and give up, apathy is inevitable. Apathy will attack you when you yank out your sacred roots. When you don’t dream big dreams anymore. When you cease to give of yourself generously. And, when you don’t sacrifice anymore. The antidote to apathy? Be courageous. Do something about what God has spoken to you about.
Lesson #3: Have a decided heart and take action. “The clarity of vision you maintain in your mind is directly proportional to the effectiveness of your actions. A decided heart is unwavering in the face of continual challenges and setbacks, and that ensures victory and a lifetime of greater fulfillment. (2)
Lesson #4: Dreams die. We don’t have to die along with them.
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