“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
There are moments in life when the dreams we’ve cherished slip through our fingers. It might be a beloved home, a relationship, a career, or even the life we envisioned for ourselves. The loss feels unbearable, and we grieve not just what was but what could have been. For some, the pain of letting go becomes a daily struggle—a lingering ache that whispers of what once was.
I once carried such a loss. A home that had been my dream, my sanctuary, and the place where I imagined life’s most beautiful moments unfolding, had to be left behind. God told me to walk away, and though I obeyed, my heart was broken. I mourned the life I had envisioned there and carried the weight of its absence for years.
Then, one night, I had a dream. I returned to the home, but it was no longer as it had been. Instead, it stood atop a mountain with a breathtaking view of a canyon below. Yet, the house itself was gone, replaced by a leveled pad where someone else might build. I wept in my dream, crying out for what I had lost, but when I awoke, I realized God was speaking to my heart.
When the Dream Is Gone
In Scripture, mountains often symbolize God’s presence and perspective. From Mount Sinai, where Moses received the law, to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus taught the multitudes, mountains draw us closer to God and allow us to see life from His vantage point.
Sometimes, God calls us to climb the mountain and look beyond the loss. The leveled pad in my dream wasn’t just emptiness—it was a clean slate, a sign of preparation for something new. It was a reminder that God is in the business of making all things new.
If you’re struggling with loss, take heart: God is not done with your story. What you see as the end may be His way of preparing the foundation for something greater.
Holding On and Letting Go
It’s natural to grieve what’s been lost. Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus, even though He knew resurrection was coming. Grief is holy, and God meets us in our sorrow. But there is also a time to release the past and trust that God is at work, even when we cannot see the full picture.
The view from the mountain in my dream wasn’t the one I expected, but it was stunning nonetheless. It reminded me that God’s plans are higher than ours, and His ways are better (Isaiah 55:8-9). The home I cherished was a blessing for its season, but it wasn’t meant to be my forever home.
The same may be true for you. Whether you’ve lost a loved one, a dream, or a chapter of life you thought would last forever, God is calling you to lift your eyes and trust Him. He sees the mountain view, even when all you can see are the ruins.
A New Foundation
The leveled pad in my dream reminded me of the words of Isaiah:
“They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations” (Isaiah 61:4).
God specializes in rebuilding. He takes what’s been torn down—by life, by loss, by circumstances—and creates something beautiful. The process isn’t easy. It requires letting go, grieving deeply, and trusting in His plans. But it also opens the door to renewal, hope, and restoration.
Your loss doesn’t define you, and it doesn’t mean your story is over. Instead, it may be the foundation for a new chapter, one that reflects God’s grace, love, and faithfulness in ways you could never imagine.
Prayer
Lord, You know the pain of my heart and the weight of my loss. I surrender my grief to You, trusting that You are writing a story far greater than I can see. Help me to let go of the past and embrace the new things You are preparing for me. Give me faith.
Amen
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Holy Beautiful Life
Featured Image by thatsphotography from Pixabay
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