When God Restores, We Dream Again (Those Who Dream Part 1)
When God Restores, We Dream Again
God is always moving. His love is relentless, and His heart for His people remains unchanging—ever drawing us into deeper restoration, hope, and purpose. As a church family, we are sensing a divine invitation: to turn a corner, to come out of a season marked by survival and disappointment, and to begin dreaming again.
"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'"
— Psalm 126:1–2 (ESV)
Psalm 126 paints a powerful picture of what happens when God restores: we become like those who dream again. And not only do we dream, but joy follows. Restoration leads to dreaming, and dreaming leads to joy. Many of us have stopped dreaming over the past few years. Life has been tough, and the shaking has been real. But we serve a God who brings restoration—and with it, renewed hope.
Dreams aren’t just for childhood or idealistic seasons; they are deeply connected to our sense of purpose and our future. When God restores us, He gives us back our ability to hope and look forward again.
"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!"
— Psalm 27:13 (ESV)
Dreaming again requires faith. It starts with belief: that God's goodness isn't only for heaven, but for here and now.
Suffering Produces Hope
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame..."
— Romans 5:3–5 (ESV)
The last few years may have felt like fire and hammer—unrelenting pressure and pain. But in God's economy, even our suffering has purpose. Like swords forged in fire, we emerge stronger, refined, and full of enduring hope. Many have faced real disappointment, but through it all, God has been forming something deeper in us: character that produces a hope that won’t disappoint.
Delight in the Lord, Receive His Dreams
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."
— Psalm 37:4–5 (ESV)
This isn't a promise that God will fulfill all our personal ambitions. Rather, as we delight in Him, He places new desires in our hearts—His desires. We stop chasing our own version of the dream, and instead, we partner with God’s dream. That’s when we see fruit that multiplies beyond what we imagined.
Pastor Chris shared his own journey of receiving a God-given dream to write songs. What began as an unexpected whisper grew into a calling that has since helped shape the worship culture of our church. When we say “God, dream Your dreams through us,” we open ourselves to supernatural assignments that unfold over years, through obedience and trust.
Sing the New Song
"Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!"
— Psalm 95:1 (ESV)
"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!"
— Psalm 96:1 (ESV)
"To you, O Lord, I will make music."
— Psalm 101:1 (ESV)
Worship isn’t a performance. It’s a response. When we sing, we engage our whole being in the act of celebration and surrender. God is stirring up a new sound in our community, and we believe it’s tied to His desire to see His kingdom come in this city.
Make Room for the Dream
"Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes."
— Isaiah 54:2 (ESV)
This is a prophetic invitation to prepare for fruitfulness before we even see it. God told a barren woman to make room for children she didn’t yet have. Why? Because His word was a promise: fruit is coming. In this season, we are strengthening our stakes as a church family—raising up leadership, investing in our kids, and building toward the future God has in mind for this region.
Our children will inherit what we build now. The dreams we receive from God and steward faithfully today will become the foundation they stand on tomorrow.
God, Dream Your Dreams Through Us
We’re not chasing fame or trends—we’re chasing God’s heart. His dreams are better, bigger, and more beautiful than we could imagine. As we move forward in this new season, our prayer is simple and profound:
God, dream Your dreams through us.
Reflection Questions
What dreams has God placed in your heart that you may have buried or forgotten?
How can you intentionally delight in the Lord this week and ask Him to place His desires in your heart?
What does it look like for you to make room—physically, emotionally, spiritually—for the dreams God wants to entrust to you?