Hey all! I’m doing the “Chronological bible in a Year” study, and right now it has me in 1Kings and 2Chronicles. And something popped into my head that I hadn’t noticed before.
My parents narrated the Bible for me before I could read, and I started reading it for myself as soon as I learned. I grew up in church and went to many VBSs. I went to Community Bible School (where I met my best friend) and countless Christian co-ops alongside my homeschooling. Youth groups, and now young adult groups, have littered my schedule for a long time.
Yet it always amazes me how God brings new details to the surface every single time you read his Word intently. There are mysteries upon mysteries that have taken us hundreds of years to piece together, and some that are right in front of us that we will never understand on this side of life! Even now we learn more every day as the Lord puts new ideas, new discoveries, new revelations, new visions and whispers into our minds. His Word is “living and active.” (Hebrews 4:12)
This reality revealed itself to me, once again, a few days ago as I was reading my daily chunk of scripture.
Solomon’s dream
In 1 Kings 3:5, God gives Solomon a legendary challenge. “Ask what I shall give you.”
But this isn’t quite as simple as it seems at first glance.
You see, we take on a much more vulnerable self in our dreams. During REM sleep, where most of our dreaming occurs, our amygdala and hippocampus (which manage emotion and memory) are active… but our frontal lobes (responsible for rational thought) are shut down. Essentially, it is a time for our brain to process what our mind has been full of. This means that the choices you make WHILE AWAKE are highly influential to your behavior within dreams.
Many people don’t know this, and consequently end up with with vivid dreams about things they take great pains NOT to think of during the day. Or, on the flip side, they may dream about things that are pleasurable but would have negative side affects if acted on while awake.
So. Why is this significant?
Firstly, because God knew Solomon’s answer would reveal what his mind and heart were full of. Your brain only knows to act on the habits you implement throughout the day, since the part of your brain controlling rational thought are “off” while in a dream space. So it sounds reasonable that Solomon “should” have asked for wealth or success… if he was a worldly king. But contrary to what seems rational to desire, especially for an already powerful man, he asked for wisdom to lead well. This gives us an even clearer view of Solomon’s intentions as a ruler and his heart for God’s people. It was deeper than success, or fame, or fortune. It was genuine care for his responsibilities as a God-appointed king. He didn’t just honor God outwardly, but inwardly as well.
The Bible tells us that Solomon had great wisdom before he was even crowned, as his father (king David) had specifically mentioned before passing him the throne. (1Kings 2:9) Therefore Solomon was honored not for his strength, but for his discernment. Both God and people exalted him for this.
God offering this challenge in a dream was no coincidence.
He knew it would reveal Solomon’s true intentions as a leader. He knew that a heart-check was more important than a mic-drop. And he knew it would be an example for generations to come. Solomon humbled himself and ignored the praises of others so that God could be exalted instead – an example we are called to mirror in our own lives.
Secondly, God knew it would challenge and prove Solomon’s self-control. You must discipline your mind a LOT to have that kind of response even as your weaker dream self.
Now, this doesn’t mean Solomon was perfect. We know he was incredibly weak when it came to controlling his desires for (particularly exotic) women. (1Kings 11:1-8) And that ended up being his downfall. He was very, very imperfect just like the rest of us. This proves, rather, that (at the time) his heart was ultimately in pursuit of God regardless of those weaknesses. The unconscious mind speaks paragraphs about what the conscious mind spends it’s time thinking of. Solomon sought God and wisdom doggedly during his waking hours, which earned him great favor from God even through his dreams.
In short, even dreams can have consequences.
This is why discipline is so important. It doesn’t happen by accident – it takes work, sacrifice, and sometimes even pain. But Solomon is proof that it also reaps great reward. The Lord was so pleased by Solomon’s request that he didn’t just answer by granting wisdom, but also wealth, honor, and a long, prosperous life. (1Kings 3:12-14)
The one who grows in discipline cultivates favor from God.
In every aspect of our lives, we either honor God or we don’t. There is no middle ground.
I saw a video recently that God also connected with this message in my heart (Which I will link at the bottom of this post). Ephesians 4:26-27 warns us against letting the sun go down on our anger. Why? Because it gives the devil a foothold.
In dreams we are weaker to temptation and suggestion. Many of us have experienced this firsthand – myself included. Do you struggle with lust? Why don’t we take this opportunity to act on that urge without risking rejection, from people and from God. Do you struggle with anger? Here’s your chance to punch that coworker in the face without getting fired from your job. Do you struggle with greed? Let’s dream about a life of extravagance without the burden of a tithe or charity donation.
In essence, we are often deceived into thinking that our behavior in dreams can’t have “real life” consequences.
But that could not be farther from the truth.
We are instructed very specifically to deal with our temptations right then and there before we go to bed, because once we’re asleep, we’re more vulnerable. If you ignore it during the day, you’ll face it again during the night.
I know, I know. Trying to control yourself in a dream state sounds suuuper intimidating. Maybe even impossible – especially since the part of your brain that manages rational thought (aka decision making) is shut down. But I promise you, it’s doable. Why? Because “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2Timothy 1:7) And “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
God doesn’t just empower you through the Holy Spirit – he also promises to intervene when you ask and believe he can & will help you.
He doesn’t leave us to fight alone. He calls us to discipline our minds and submit every single thought to Jesus (2Corinthians 10:3-5) – but he doesn’t make us do it alone. He is perfectly happy to bless you with wisdom and guide you to repentance. He knows our weaknesses and “remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:10-14). We don’t have to be afraid, because we are not called to rely on our own strength to pull off such an intimidating challenge. If you struggle to control your mind, please know that you are not alone. God will help you. I strongly recommend confessing any bad habits to a trusted friend, mentor, or leadership figure and asking for accountability. It’s scary sometimes, and you may feel ashamed. But it’s biblical, and it’s trustworthy, and you will see better days ahead because of it. (And better nights.) I also recommend Christian counseling – sometimes there is a stigma that counseling/therapy is only for really messed up people, but that stereotype needs to be broken. Therapy is for everyone – we are all incredibly flawed and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to work on getting better. If someone thinks they’re the exception, that’s just pride talking. Even the heroes of the Bible were deeply flawed, and God’s Word doesn’t shy away from calling that out and instructing them to do better. In fact it says “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15) And “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14) So don’t be afraid to seek help, whether you feel like you need it or not. Whether it’s a professional, a pastor, or just a friend whose faith walk you admire. It can be hard at first, but I promise it gets better. Sometimes you may not like what they have to say, and it is ALWAYS a good idea to check for yourself that their advice aligns with scripture. But whether it gives you the warm fuzzy feels or you take it like a brick to the face… discipline takes accountability. And keep in mind…
Practice makes perfect!
Practice makes progress.
And that’s the goal. Not perfection, just progress.
So. Go forth and conquer, my friends. In waking and in sleeping, the Lord watches over us and gives us strength. He is glad to give wisdom to all who ask for it (James 1:5), and he takes pleasure in rewarding his children for the discerning posture of their hearts. He will hold your hand through the process, and you are not alone. There is an angel army fighting for you, and if you will only pray and ask, God will send them to guard you in your sleep as well. ♡
Relevant verses that I recommend looking into:
Wisdom:
~ James 3:17
~ Proverbs 1:7
~ Proverbs 19:20
~ Ephesians 5:15-17
~ Proverbs 10:23
~ Proverbs 2:6
~ Psalm 111:10
~ Proverbs 18:15
~ Proverbs 16 (yes, all of it)
Building a focused, upright mind:
~ Philippians 4:8
~ Romans 12:2
~ Psalm 32:8
~ Proverbs 3:5-6
~ 2Timothy 3:16-17
~ Psalm 119:105
Sleepy verses to meditate on:
~ Proverbs 3:24
~ Psalm 3:5
If you want to learn more about how the devil builds a stronghold, and how to destroy it, I highly recommend the short video I linked below. It helped me a lot. Your focus and heart posture make ALL the difference.
♡~ Skippy
