Finding Grace and Peace in the Best and Worst Days of Life and Dreaming with God

Not long ago, someone asked me to identify the best and worst days of my life. I paused to think—and my answers surprised me.

As you read today’s reflection, your own answers may surprise you too. If you need encouragement to move beyond disappointment and begin dreaming with God again, this post is for you.

When I first considered the question, a particular phone call came to mind as one of the worst days of my life. Later, when I repeated the exercise, two or three other painful phone conversations surfaced.

Each event had been difficult, but I wondered why my mind had selected phone calls as some of my worst memories. As I reflected, I realized that each conversation had brought news that shattered a dream and left behind a lasting disappointment.

The lecture in which this question was asked explored what it means to dream with God. But before inviting us to dream again, the speaker encouraged us to acknowledge the dreams we had lost.

That process helped me release some of my past disappointments and begin dreaming with God again. I hope this reflection encourages you to do the same.

Strengthening Yourself in the Lord

One of the Bible’s most powerful stories of loss and recovery is found in 1 Samuel 30.

David and his men returned home to discover that their enemies had attacked the city, taken their families captive, and carried away their possessions. David and his men wept until they had no strength left. David was also deeply distressed because the people, overwhelmed by grief, began talking about stoning him.

Yet, in the middle of devastating loss, David strengthened himself in the Lord.

He did not deny his grief or pretend that everything was fine. He brought his distress before God and asked for guidance about what to do next.

“David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?’‘ Pursue them,’ he answered. ‘You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.’”— 1 Samuel 30:8

David followed God’s direction and recovered everything that had been taken.

His story reminds us that disappointment does not have to be the end of the story. After loss, God can strengthen us, guide us, and show us how to move forward.

Dreaming With God Again

Today, I invite you to strengthen yourself in the Lord and begin dreaming with Him again.

Sometimes answers to prayer come through circumstances only God can change. At other times, God shows us how to cooperate with Him—either by taking a practical step or by allowing Him to transform us through what we are facing.

Prayer is not only a place where we ask God for the outcome we desire. It is also where we receive His perspective, grace, comfort, and direction.

Reflect on Your Best and Worst Days

You can begin with the same exercise that helped me.

Take some time to reflect on the best and worst days of your life. Write about them in your journal or speak openly with God about what you remember.

Invite Jesus into both the joyful and painful moments.

Entrust the beautiful parts of your past to Him with gratitude. Entrust the painful parts to Him as well—especially the disappointments that caused certain dreams to collapse.

Scripture describes God as:

“The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”— 2 Corinthians 1:3

Pause and consider what this reveals about His character.

Ask the Father for compassion as you process the pain you are carrying today. Receive His comfort for the difficulties and disappointments of the past.

Discovering God’s Character in Difficult Seasons

Difficult seasons can either create distance in our relationship with God or become places where we learn to draw closer to Him.

One way to move toward Him is by discovering His character as revealed in Scripture. As we reflect on who God truly is, we become open to experiencing His grace and loving-kindness in new ways.

Today, allow these words to become more than a familiar description:

He is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.

What might change if you allowed Him to meet you in your most painful memory as that kind of Father?

Making Room for New Dreams

Healing is often gradual. As you walk with God, disappointment can begin to give way to hope. False beliefs can be replaced by truth, bringing greater freedom into the places that have felt restricted by fear or pain.

As healing creates more room in your heart, love can open possibilities that disappointment once made difficult to imagine.

Perhaps an old dream will be restored. Perhaps God will give you a new one. Or perhaps He will transform your understanding of what a meaningful and fruitful future can look like.

Whatever unfolds, you do not have to remain trapped in the moment when the difficult phone call came.

Bring your best and worst days to Jesus. Allow the Father of compassion to comfort you—and begin dreaming with God again.

Finally, I want to share with you my latest poem, which I was inspired to write on one of my prayer walks:

Message in a bottle

I have a message to share.

This piece is a poem. 

It is written for broken hearts.

Here it starts: 

Jesus loves you.

He sees your scars.

If you could just learn to trust him, 

He would begin to heal your heart. 

You might feel unloved,

Shimmering in bitter thoughts. 

If you allow Jesus to love you,

His pierced hands will comfort your soul.  

You will be in perfect peace

If your thoughts remain focused on Him. 

If you could just start to trust him, 

You would begin to heal.

Now that we have come to the end of the poem,

The message of hope will travel on the seas.

It is in a transparent bottle,

Waiting for you to dream!

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When life gives you lemons, make a lemonade!