A Dream: Grand Canyon

A Dream: Grand Canyon

On Thursday, September 19, 2013, I had a recurring dream about falling to my death. Each dream is different and I have had them since my early childhood, following an accident where I fell several feet to the ground from a window (that’s a story in itself). These dreams of falling would disturb me to the point that I used to awake with such alarm, usually jerking myself into an upright position from my sleep. However, in these past few years my experiences with these dreams have been quite different, therapeutic in a sense, and a direct encounter with God that has helped me confront and overcome my fear of heights. I call this Therapy by Divine Intervention.

God has also counseled me in the past to overcome anxiety with various techniques to implement before I would lie down to sleep and for 11 years I have been anxiety-free. Migraines, pinched nerves in the neck and shoulders, issues with my feet are other ailments that I have suffered with in the past, many times to the point of incapacitation over a number of days. I have been healed of these things as well by confronting various other traumatic childhood experiences. I love my healing journey and I am always eager to share it with many with the hopes that it will cause us to look at ways to attain healing with a new, but ancient perspective, especially when we have reached the rope’s end by seeking the help of physicians who are unable to discover what exactly is ailing us.

Have you ever wondered why test results show inconclusive evidence that there is anything wrong with you? I believe that is because we are in the very early stages of the ailment before it manifests visually in test results. You are in a great place because this rescues you from harsh treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, etc. It is important that we are sensitive enough to be aware of this stage so that spiritual intervention can be implemented for the cleansing and healing of your body.

Your first treatment will often come in the form of being transparent and honest about the things that are embedded in the emotions that is the source of the physical ailment. The next phase is experiencing the emotions that have been denied and stored (e.g. grief, shame, guilt, etc.). For example, when there are situations that warrant anger but you did everything to avoid expressing this anger in an healthy and effective way, there is a possibility that it has been stored and unresolved. For each unresolved event that proceeds this one concerning anger is stored, yet it grows into bitterness, jealousy, envy and negative talk. Things like this threaten blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and increased discharge of body chemicals (e.g. adrenalin, cortisone, etc.), which causes imbalances that can develop into various conditions.

We cannot physically see the wounds of emotional hurt, but we do know that they take up residence in us. Many times we think that they no longer exist until a new experience triggers an old unresolved hurt that has been lying dormant. Only the individual can identify what these hurts are, things that no test can reveal. I truly believe that once these hurts are stored up in us and we fail to address them over a period of time, they become the source of physical ailments. I pray that you witness the therapy of my dream of the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s greatest attractions.

On this particular night I dreamed that my family and I toured the Grand Canyon. From a distance I could witness the heights and width of the canyon, but to explore the depths I had to build up the courage to walk to the edge. I begin to experience the usual nausea, dizziness and light-headiness that I get when challenged with heights until I fainted and fell over the edge. In mid-flight I awakened in an upright position…in a panic, I sorted through my thoughts and discovered that I did not have an option of grabbing ahold of something; my only option was to begin to speak the promises of God.  I spoke to God “you said you will never leave me nor forsake me” (Deut. 31:8), that “you would command your angels to charge over me so that my feet would not strike against these stones” (Ps. 91:11, 12), now lift me Lord, tuck me and hide me in the shadow of your wings (Ps. 91:4). Immediately, I felt a warm presence embrace me (completely wrapping around my whole body)…this was my encounter with God. I did not see His face, just a physical presence. He leaned in closely to my ear and whispered “do not fear, for I Am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).

In this moment I thought the Lord was going take me up straight away and quickly, but instead he lowered me ever so slowly and said “look at the details, the different layers and colorations of the stone that reveals its ancient history”. This is the phase of confronting. He said, “I am more than that”. As we approached the bottom he said to me “look at how deep the valley is; I am deeper than that”. In our slow ascension he had me to look at these details again, then he said “look out at the width; it goes further than your eyes can see and I am wider than that. Now…look up, and understand that I Am much higher than this” (Eph. 3:18).

When I had awakened from this dream I felt that I had physically gone through this experience. My heart was racing and felt enlarged; it was uncomfortably tender all the next day. I was not alarmed by this feeling in my heart; though it could have raised some concerns for doctors…I would imagine they would run all kinds of test. The feeling was indescribable for most of the morning. All I could truly say was that “God is big”, and as elementary as it sounds, He is simply BIG. I was awestruck to say the least. I understood fully that there is nothing moore satisfying than to be in the arms of the Almighty God.

As I was driving to work the following day I had a vision of standing on the highest peak, looking down and feeling confident that I had just conquered my fear of heights. The discomfort of this world is nothing compared to the protection that God has around them that love Him. I am so thankful that the Lord did not take me up straight away, we continued to descend…for, in low places there is much to learn. He acknowledged and empathized with my fear but did not enable me to stay there by rescuing me prematurely, before I could see and explore each detail in the layers of the canyon. This is the phase where I believe that healing and freedom can be experienced. As we continued to descend, every detail was clear to me…He required that I open my eyes to see them rather than shut them tight thinking that I could brace myself for the fall. Can you think of a time when you closed your eyes tightly to avoid the impact of circumstances? Yes, me too. I want to encourage you to look carefully at the details. These are necessary lessons that you will use to construct your greatest visions.

I realize that many of us have had valley experiences; we have tried to withstand the blows by standing upright, smiling and denying that we have been wounded. I recall the feelings of our brother Mordecai in the book of Esther, when a decree went out to every region to annihilate the Jews; he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and poured ashes on his head. He was grieved at this news, he fasted and prayed. I have witnessed people in difficult circumstances like this, who handled it with cockiness, saying “my God has got this”. While this is true we see such a person has denied themselves to experience the hurt that comes with the situation. That hurt is stored and causes our prayers to become ineffective; the frustrations of unanswered prayers overtake the individual and the situation becomes overwhelmingly stressful…it is this stress that causes physical ailments. We can meditate on Mordecai’s experience and be confident that in due time we too will be exalted. But, I feel right now in the Spirit that it is now your time to go higher.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).