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“I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark…And I made plans to build it. But God said, “You are not to build a house…”
I Chronicles 28:2-3 NIV

How do you handle your dreams being ripped from your hands? During the dark hours of the night, do you struggle with the loss of your dreams? I had every right to this dream, we think. Do you ever feel like your right to your dream was smashed? I know the feeling.

How do you let go of the past dreams and anticipate God’s work in the future with a renewed trust in Him?

Widows have a lot of opportunities to let go of dreams, right? You had to let go of future dreams, dreams with your spouse, dreams of growing old together, dreams of watching your kids grow up. Maybe you dreamed of serving God together in your “twilight years”. Lots and lots of dreams.

They were good plans. They were plans you made in prayer with God’s guidance. But they weren’t meant to be.

When our dreams have to be released, we are given the opportunity to grow in our faith.

In 1 Chronicles 28, we are given a glimpse of how to let go of important dreams. King David had assembled all of Israel before him as he neared the end of his life. Did he have an encounter with God at some point that was etched on his memory forever? What we know is God revealed to King David that his dream of building the Lord’s temple was not meant to be.

I imagine the pain David felt as he let go of this dream. So many of the Psalms he wrote refer to God’s temple. He truly loved God and wanted to make a beautiful place for worship. But it was not in God’s plan.

“David, you followed Me, you have a heart for Me, but this is not going to happen during your lifetime.”

“But I dreamed of it! I planned it! I wanted this to be my ultimate gift to You, Lord.”

His dreams, plans. All gone.

He felt it was just so wrong for him to live in comfort when the Lord’s property (the Ark of the Covenant) was sitting in a tent. (2 Samuel 7) These verses tell us he planned every tiny detail – the courts, the treasuries, the job descriptions of the workers, even down to the weight of the gold and silver lampstands! God’s hand was clearly on him as He enabled David to understand all these details.

He wanted so much to build this temple for God as a way of showing his appreciation, love, and respect.

You and I made plans with our husbands through prayer and much consideration. And some of those plans were not meant to be carried out by you together. Just like King David, we may have had clear ideas from God about these dreams, but now they seem crushed. Some of the dreams can still be fulfilled by you alone or by you and others. Commit those dreams to prayer and you might just be surprised at God’s answers!

Let’s learn from King David’s example in this passage that our dreams sometimes have to be let go. How we respond determines how we will grow.

Father God, You were instrumental in so much of our dreams. You created the desire in us for these dreams. Help us release our past and accept the future, as we trust You like never before. Amen