The Guidance Counselor

I had a back-to-school dream last night that was memorable and symbolic, enough so for me to give credit to the Lord as its creator. When I remember the dream clearly after waking up and can sense that the metaphors and symbols are applicable to the Christian journey, I take note. This is typically how I filter my dreams nowadays.

In the dream I was a student at SBCC. Classes were taking place but I was in a state of disarray. I could not find my way around campus to the correct classroom and I also did not have a complete class schedule. I was stressing out. I wanted to know where I was supposed to go and when I was supposed to be there. I wanted to have an understanding of my surroundings and to be able to navigate my life as a student. I was sweating and nervous.

At one point I walked up a ramp that I thought led to my next class and it was a complete dead end. It was a ramp to nowhere, and the class had already started.

So I went to see the guidance counselor with my questions. He was warm and kind. I asked him if I was supposed to be at such-and-such place for my first class, and told him it the only class that was written on my course schedule. He responded with,

“Hmmm. That’s an interesting course for you. That is typically not the first course you would take, but I don’t see why you couldn’t take that one first and then get your level 100 class later. That’s not usually how it’s done, but we can make an exception.”

Then he walked me to my class. As we walked along I was eager to ask about the rest of my classes, but I never bothered. I had an overriding sense that if the guidance counselor was walking with me, it would all work out.

Then we arrived at the class which had already begun. The guidance counselor spoke with the teacher and I was allowed to jump right in. The class was in the midst of sketching a picture from different perspectives. I drew my picture of a high-rise office building at night with lights illuminating the top stories, from the perspective of a child sitting in the front passenger seat of a car. The child could not see over the dashboard, but could see the top 5 floors of the office building. The teacher approved of the drawing.

I gave the drawing to a friend.

And then I woke up.

My biggest takeaway from the dream was, as you might expect, the presence of the guidance counselor (aka the Holy Spirit) who guides and counsels and comforts on the journey. In my anxiety, I often want to understand everything in advance to assuage my fears, but God continues to show me that is not His Way. His Presence is sufficient enough.

I also loved the imagery of the guidance counselor’s fluid relationship with the course schedule. The approach was not rigid but flexible. I imagine the Holy Spirit delights in creative and winding pathways to gain spiritual maturity. In the dream, it actually seemed fun for the guidance counselor.

Finally, the drawing of the high-rise office building where the lights were on in the rooms of the top floors. From the perspective of the child in the passenger seat in the car, everything below those top few stories was obscured. The child wasn’t able to see any of it, and it was dark. But that was ok. It was enough that the lights were on in the “executive suites”.

You may be going through a time of uncertainty where you cannot see far ahead. It may be stressful and driving your own fears and anxiety. So I pray that this imagery can be a comfort and strength to you. The Holy Spirit is with you! He will guide, counsel, comfort and strengthen you in the journey. It may appear dark from where you are sitting (as a passenger, by the way. Jesus has the wheel). But the lights are on for God and His executive team.

And that’s enough.

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