Biblical Counsel on Dreams - Unless it be from God “Fix not your heart on it”
Sirach Chapter 34
1 Empty and false are the hopes of the senseless, and fools are borne aloft by dreams. 2Like a man who catches at shadows or chases the wind, is the one who believes in dreams.3 What is seen in dreams is to reality what the reflection of a face is to the face itself.4 Can the unclean produce the clean? can the liar ever speak the truth? 5 Divination, omens and dreams all are unreal; what you already expect, the mind depicts. 6 Unless it be a vision specially sent by the Most High, fix not your heart on it; 7 For dreams have led many astray, and those who believed in them have perished.
So. IS this dream from “The Most High”? St. Joseph had one - it was a warning with specific instructions. The Wise Men had the same. OT Joseph’s dream was opposite of yours - it was so positive! But before his brothers bowed down before him - he went through years of hell!
If you have a ‘dark night of the soul’ - perhaps you are a very holy person. Jesus had one in Gethsemane.
If the “shadowy person” was the Devil (really or not) why listen to him. He is a liar.
Certainly he would try to scare you. And rob you of your happiness and hope etc.
But he also covets the things that are God’s - like your soul, your loyalty, or even your ATTENTION.
Jesus’ words on “worrying” and “fear” might be good to reflect on. Also St. John’s reflection:
1 John 4:15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. 16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. ***18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.***19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God 5 whom he has not seen. 21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
My counsel would be - think of anyone you might need to forgive - or be forgiven by. Pray for them and love them with graces given by God. And if this shadowy figure troubles you in your dream - face him and say an Our Father - this is always good anyhow - and better than running. I’m feeling God’s OVERWHELMING love for you right now. What a nice feeling!
It was a really short dream, but in it their was a shady man who was following me. I couldn’t see who he was since I was walking in a really dark night. He asked me why I killed his son, and why I was leaving him, but I just kept running. I finally got cornered in a tunnel, were this very dark man gave me what looked like a sheet of paper that said that he would do everything to make me leave my peace and happiness and the second was to lure me into sadness and that he would do everything in his power to keep me their. I was really scared, I’ve had dreams like this before often before I enter into a dark night of the soul. I would very much appreciate if you add me into your intention in your daily rosary, or a short prayer.
