Dreams=Lament

Whenever you dream, you are disappointed. Who of us has not dreamed of something, only to have that dream dashed. A dream of a child is postponed in struggles to become pregnant; a dream of a fulfilling vocation is stalled in a frustrating job; a dream of growing old with the person you love is ended by death or divorce; a dream of many tomorrows is halted by one sentence from a doctor; a dream of "the perfect family" is smeared by the reality of sin and heartache.

What do we do with these dashed dreams? Where do we take this heartache? Michael Card (who I wrote about in this earlier post) was facing similar questions when he decided to work on an album of songs of lament. I was listening to one of these on my way home from lunch today. On his radio program, In the Studio with Michael Card, he was talking with Pastor Donald Cole about Psalm 73. In this psalm, Asaph, the writer struggles with seeing people all around him doing well, while he struggling.

1A psalm of Asaph.
Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.

3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

This didn't make sense to him at all, until he sought out God.

16 When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny

23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

In an interview with Christianpublicity.com, Michael Card described his eventual conclusion about shattered dreams and lament. "'We think we need answers from God for life’s struggles,' says Michael. 'But in actuality, we just need Him. The answer is His presence. God moved off the throne to meet Job face to face, just like Jesus left heaven and came here to feel our pain. He was a ‘man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.’ Like Job, our theology will fail us in times of intense sadness. But the presence of God, made plain to us through Jesus, is exactly what we need in the midst of our suffering. He is the only One who truly understands how cruel life on earth can be.'"

Whether you are in a place where all of your dreams seem to be coming true or whether you are in a dessert of frustration, God can be with you. It is up to you to offer him your pain and your heartache. Michael Card's song "Come Lift Up Your Sorrows" from his album The Hidden Face of God is a great place for that to begin.

If you are wounded, if you are alone,
If you are angry, if your heart is cold as stone,
If you have fallen and if you are weak,
Come find the worth of God
That only the suffering seek.

Come lift up your sorrows
And offer your pain;
Come make a sacrifice
Of all your shame;
There in your wilderness
He's waiting for you
To worship Him with your wounds,
For he's wounded too.

Download "Come Lift Up Your Sorrows" at emusic.