Joel 2:28 — I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
Have you ever noticed how life has a way of making you dream a little smaller?
I know it has for me.
Somewhere along the way, I realized I don’t dream much anymore. I seldom even set big goals.
Disappointments have a way of knocking the wind out of you. And if you’re not careful, it’s easy to start believing the lies:
You’re too old.
You can’t do that now.
Just get over it.
For a while, I started believing them.
But then I remembered something about the heart of God:
He doesn’t retire purpose. He renews it.
He keeps awakening dreams in ordinary people.
And if that’s true, why would I let disappointment have the final word?
The Bible is filled with people who dared to dream with God.
Joseph held onto God’s promises even when he was sitting in a prison cell. David was anointed king while he was still tending sheep. Noah built an ark before there was ever a cloud in the sky.
Their circumstances didn’t look like the fulfillment of God’s promises.
But God was still working.
And Joel reminds us that God’s Spirit isn’t reserved for the young, the strong, or the people who have everything figured out.
He pours out His Spirit on His people, young and old, and He continues to awaken hearts to His purposes.
Now, not every dream we have is from God.
Some are selfish.
Some are distractions.
Some are simply things we want for ourselves.
But I believe God can plant holy desires in our hearts—to serve, to create, to encourage, to give, and to make a difference in someone else’s life.
So don’t bury the gift God has placed inside you just because life has been disappointing.
Don’t assume your age disqualifies you.
Don’t let fear convince you that your most meaningful days are behind you.
The safest place for a dream is surrendered, not buried.
Bring those dreams to Jesus.
Pray over them.
Hold them with open hands.
And if He opens the door, don’t just stand there admiring it from a distance.
Walk through it.
Because the God who placed purpose within you is also faithful to lead you wherever He’s calling you next.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- What dream or desire have you allowed disappointment, fear, or age to make you bury?
- Do you tend to believe that your most meaningful days are behind you? Why or why not?
- How can you tell the difference between a dream that comes from God and one that simply comes from your own desires?
- What would it look like to surrender one of your dreams to Jesus instead of either forcing it or burying it?
- If God opened a door you’ve been praying about, what would it take for you to have the courage to walk through it?
