Behind Ordinary Awareness
Perhaps our own dreams, whether literal dreams during sleep or the deeper dreams we carry in our hearts, invite us to listen more deeply to what God is accomplishing within us.
Minister’s Blog
Perhaps our own dreams, whether literal dreams during sleep or the deeper dreams we carry in our hearts, invite us to listen more deeply to what God is accomplishing within us.
Modern culture often swings between two extremes: dismissing dreams as meaningless brain activity, or treating every dream as a divine message. Swedenborg avoids both extremes.
As we grow spiritually, we are asked to surrender familiar ways of thinking, long-held assumptions, and even spiritual identities that once served us well. Yet that transition can feel like a death.
Even while our attention is often fixed on outward concerns—our work, relationships, achievements, and daily responsibilities—the Lord is quietly guiding us inwardly, leading us toward spiritual transformation.
This story illustrates a profound spiritual reality: what we truly desire to achieve and obtain spiritually is only attainable after we have gone through the long process of living, enduring, and experiencing whatever life presents to us.
While most dreams may simply reflect the activity of our minds, some can leave us with a profound sense of peace, encouragement, or insight. We may awaken feeling comforted, strengthened, or reassured, without fully understanding why.
Life rarely hands us easy answers; it gives us choices. We often work tirelessly to gain a specific prize, only to find that the ultimate destination looks entirely different from what we expected at the beginning.
Acknowledging a power greater than ourselves is not superstitious; it is a conscious, intelligent choice. It is the only way to break free from the captivity of a self-centered worldview.
Because we crave meaning, we often aspire to become people who are respected and praised by others. Yet, this desire can inadvertently lead us to chase after the exact same things the rest of the world is chasing.
Faith often emerges precisely when we cannot fully understand. Abraham walks up the mountain carrying both trust and anguish. He cannot see the outcome, yet he continues forward, trusting his God.