Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said, “Listen to this dream I had. We were all out in the field gathering bundles of wheat. All of a sudden my bundle stood straight up and your bundles circled around it and bowed down to mine.”8 His brothers said, “So! You’re going to rule us? You’re going to boss us around?” And they hated him more than ever because of his dreams and the way he talked.9 He had another dream and told this one also to his brothers: “I dreamed another dream—the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to me!”10–11 When he told it to his father and brothers, his father reprimanded him: “What’s with all this dreaming? Am I and your mother and your brothers all supposed to bow down to you?” Now his brothers were really jealous; but his father brooded over the whole business.
God may reveal part of His plan for my life even when I am still immature in my journey of faith. Why would the Lord do that? Joseph is a great example of God’s faith building process. That process starts even when we are rough around the edges. Before you can make a beautiful object from clay, it is a lump of raw clay.
God does not start molding us when we are doing all the right things. He often starts molding us when we are doing all the wrong things. When Joseph is just 17, he is raw material but with a lot of potential. One of the first stages that Joseph goes through on his faith journey is one of the recognition of God or the awe of God. Can you imagine how excited Joseph was when the Lord spoke to him in a dream?
When the Lord wants to take us to a different place in our journey of faith, it often starts with a dream. This dream can take the form of dream like Joseph’s or a dream placed by the Holy Spirit inside of us. God gives you dreams to change your destiny.
Do you feel you are following God’s plan for your life? Whatever the situation, the Lord loves to hear from His children in prayer. He communicates to us through His word and the Holy Spirit. God’s plan for our life can come in many different ways. It may be similar to Joseph’s experience or not. God can use various ways to begin to mold our life in a special way.
How can seeking the Lord and trusting in Him change the direction of your life?
Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ge 37:5–11). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.