How do you handle your dreams?
Many of us believe a dream is a mysterious message, which needs someone with special prophetic skills to unravel.
A month-or-so before my father died, I dreamed that he was lying peacefully inside a coffin, dressed in a black suit and white shirt, in the middle of his homestead. I didn’t think it meant what it meant. I didn’t think God would be that blunt about such a matter. I reasoned that, if God wanted to warn me about my father’s impending demise, He would camouflage this warning.
“I think my father still has many more years to live,” I called my maternal cousin, Ochi, who would regularly drop by our homestead to check on my father.
I based my interpretation on what I heard old folks say; that when one dreams someone is dead, it means the person in the dream will enjoy longevity. I was using tradition and human wisdom to solve a deep and divine prophetic equation.
What’s more, I, like many other people, have grown up with this belief that dreams of the night are puzzles beyond the comprehension of mortal beings. Many of us believe a dream is a mysterious message, which needs someone with special prophetic skills to unravel it.
However, that’s not always the case. Some dreams are hyperrealistic paintings; the image tells you everything you need to know. Others resemble abstract art; you have to do some digging and deep diving to find the rhyme and reason.
My mother, Nya’Manoah died in 2010. Several months before she passed away, I dreamed I was walking into an unfamiliar place. I didn’t know what the dream meant. And I didn’t think much about it.
Until around mid-February 2010. That’s when all heaven’s prophetic premonition broke loose.
My elder sis and I were in Siaya town, purchasing items for Nya’Manoah’s burial. Out of the blue, she suggested that we visit the Siaya Hospital morgue.
“Let’s go and see how they are preparing mama’s body,” sis said.
Trust God to join all the dots for you. I believe our journey to Siaya and steps had been preordained, long before Nya’Manoah died.
As soon as we sighted the hospital’s gate, I knew where I had seen this unfamiliar surroundings. I saw it in a dream several months prior.
“Goodness, Lord,” I muttered under my breath. “You could’ve been clearer.”
And yet when God was clearer about my father’s impending death, I went straight back to my default setting; believing it was a puzzle.
Burden of dream carriers
What’s a man supposed to do when he’s granted a glimpse into the future? One thing I know is a man should not tell it on the mountains, over the hills and everywhere. We know what lack of discernment and discipline did to the Biblical Joseph.
Here’s what I do. I pray over every dream. I never take any dream for granted; not even the ones folk may perceive to be ugali dreams. You know, the ones you have after you’ve demolished a mountain of sembe.
I never go to a prophet or man of God to help me with a dream’s interpretation. Neither do I follow popular interpretations metrics, especially those that are awash on social media. Two people may have an almost similar dream, but every dream is as unique as two different sets of fingerprints.
Over time, I have become better at interpreting my dreams. But I still miss the boat by the river. This is why, while praying in the morning I always ask God the meaning of a dream. He always answers.
If you’re not sure about a dream, do not come up with your own interpretations. That’s akin to setting yourself up for frustration. Ask the Giver to give you clarity and direction.
