Dana Owens

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.