I almost got married last night. In my dreams, of course.
When I woke up this morning, I realized that I’d had a devastating, awful nightmare. No, I wasn’t kidnapped. My family wasn’t eaten by monsters. My home didn’t burn down. Rather, the groom didn’t show up at my wedding.
The Plot Thickens
In this awful dream, I set a wedding date and hoped that a guy would step in to be my groom. (Yes, I know how silly and unrealistic that sounds.) Invitations were sent out, and I fully expected that a groom would be at my wedding. Sean* (i.e., my long-term crush who works at my college) was even in my dream, so I hoped that he would be my groom.
However, when my wedding day came, there was still no groom.
No guy—not even Sean—rushed in to say, “I’ll marry her.” No guy—not even Sean—stepped up to promise, “I’ll spend the rest of my life with her.” No guy—not even Sean—simply said, “I want her.”
So there I was—disappointed, distraught, and wondering why no one wanted me. And in that terrible nightmare, I had to cancel the wedding.
But what does this dream reveal about me or guys or God? Maybe more than you’d think.
Just Another Nightmare?
Satan can use even this nightmare as a weapon against me. He whispers, “That dream is basically reality, Grace. No guy will ever want you. You haven’t even been asked out on a date. You’re so backwards.”
Obviously, those are lies because they’re from the devil (John 8:44). We all have to recognize his lies and refute them. Otherwise, they’ll rule us—and so will he.
But there’s another important thing that I want to point out from my nightmare. Why did I pick a wedding date and expect a groom to show up? Who was I expecting to step in and save the day? I think that I was hoping that Sean would step up to the altar.
Of course, it was just a dream. But our dreams often reveal where our thoughts are, and I’ll admit that I’ve been thinking about Sean lately (perhaps a bit too much, ahem). Will I ever get over him?
Perhaps that’s not the right question to ask. Rather, I suppose I should be asking whether I entrust myself to him—or the fantasy of being with him. If we’re entrusting ourselves to anyone (or anything) besides Jesus, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment.
Entrusting Myself to a Fantasy
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25 NASB)
Jesus knows how we work. He knows that we’re cunning, manipulative, and self-centered people. And He didn’t entrust Himself to people.
How can we place so much confidence in anyone or anything besides Him? Why do we—as fallen people—entrust ourselves to other fallen people? Why did I entrust myself to Sean to step up and be my groom?
Can you relate to how I feel? Who (or what) have you been entrusting yourself to? The guy you’re dating (or want to date)? Your best friend? Your boss? Your pastor? Your job? Your ministry?
Jesus wants us to entrust ourselves completely to Him. And He’s the only One who deserves our full trust.
*Name has been changed.
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