Dreams and Defeat

Have you ever felt like you’ve been given a front row seat to your own defeat? Unpleasant as that may sound, I think it’s something most of us can relate to on some level. In times of discouragement, we are quick to lose our sense of control. We begin to feel trapped, like helpless bystanders watching our beloved dreams unravel.

Now that I’ve set the peppy tone, let’s get real about facing defeat. As humans, we thrive on happiness, success, and fulfillment. We develop goals, aspirations and dreams that help us to grow. We set expectations, we work hard, and we bear the fruit of our actions. Right?  

But sometimes it doesn’t feel like that. There are times when our hard work displays no results. There are times when our elaborate dreams may hit a dead end. There are instances when we are left feeling unsatisfied, unfulfilled, and overlooked. These feelings are real, and may seem completely justified. After all, God gave us the ability to pursue our dreams, so why would he let us fail?

Truthfully, we may never know the answer to why we face such trials and failures. Sometimes there may be a lesson to be learned, and other times our dreams may not have our best interest in mind. Unfortunately, our limited scope of knowledge hinders us from fully understanding the big picture. However, we can take comfort in the fact that God has promised to remain faithful to those who have been faithful to Him. As Psalm 84: 11 states,

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
 the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

This verse has been an interesting one for me. My initial interpretation was that if I am working towards a worthy goal with righteous intentions, then nothing should stand in my way from attaining it. However, that’s not quite accurate. Although my goal may be pure and my actions may be blameless, that doesn’t make it “good.” You see, where I fell short in my interpretation was understanding what “good” really meant. Good is not what humans see as just. Good is not something (we feel) we’ve earned. Rather, good is what is most beneficial. Good is what is right. Good is God’s will. While humans have a limited point of view and lack foresight, God sees a greater picture.

There have been so many occasions in my life where I wanted something so bad but didn’t get it. Looking back years later, I can honestly say some of my desires that seemed pure were not actually what was best for me. It’s so important that we learn to trust God to be faithful. I would like to encourage anyone who is feeling disheartened at this time. God sees you. He knows your heart, and He loves you more than you will ever comprehend. However, our fulfillment and happiness cannot be dependent on our dreams coming to fruition. Rather, we must find fulfillment in God. He is faithful, and He knows what is best for us.

No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Until next time,

Tamara