When we’re given a dream from God to do something for Him, and His kingdom, we can often start off with great enthusiasm. But how many of our dreams end up uncompleted and forgotten about? How many of our dreams die before we achieve them? For the next few days we’re going to be taking a look at some dream killers. Today’s is: discouragement. When we feel discouraged, we’re more likely to give up. Someone who had a lot of dreams from God was Joseph. The first dream he had was: ‘We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it’ (Genesis 37:7 NIV). This meant that one day he would rise to a position where his brothers would bow down to him. But then he dreamed a second dream, an even bigger one than the first: ‘I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me’ (Genesis 37:9 NIV). In both cases, he would be in a position of great authority. But his brothers didn’t like being told about these dreams. In fact, the Bible tells us that ‘they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said’ (Genesis 37:8 NIV). They threw him in a well, sold him as a slave, and pretended he was dead. Joseph may have thought he’d misheard God’s dream. He may have felt discouraged. But those things led Joseph to the right place for his God-given dreams to be fulfilled. It might seem that our dream is gasping its last breath, but we need to keep believing God. We can’t let discouragement kill our dream.

What Now?

Are you feeling discouraged and close to giving up the task God’s called you to? Spend some time praying for the strength to carry on, and for a glimpse of God’s bigger picture.