The Tiger in the House
“He hath sent me to bind up the broken
hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those
who are bound”. Isaiah 61:1
THE DREAM:
I saw a woman sitting on a grassy hill just beyond what appeared to be the backyard of a home. She was observing a gathering of people making preparations for a party, perhaps a family get-together. Only a small child playing on a jungle gym noticed the woman and made small conversation with her. It was clear that the people were familiar to her. However, no one seemed to notice the woman or give her any attention as she sat watching the backyard scene.
The guests were busily making preparations and socializing amongst themselves. She watched as one of the hosts closer to the home was preparing food near a sliding glass door.
Interestingly, this person’s back was constantly towards her, never turning around, never facing her.
This was significant.
Not one time did this person ever turn around…their back was always towards the woman on the hill.
Suddenly, out of nowhere a tiger appeared in front of the woman on the grassy slope. The tiger was not aggressive nor did it try to attack her. Its majestic, furry face appeared inches from the woman. Their eyes met.
I could tell she instantly she felt that she MUST take the tiger inside the house to keep it away from the guests in the backyard...to keep the guests safe. Of course, this was the right thing to do.
~Suddenly, the scene changed~
The tiger was now safely put away inside the home. The woman made her way back through the guests to the place where she had been sitting. Along the way, I noticed she was desperately trying to warn everyone that a tiger was in the house and to be aware.
However, it seemed that none of the guests were concerned or heeded her warnings. They were nonchalant, continuing their preparations and socializing amongst themselves…not bothered or worried whatsoever.
She made her way back up the grassy hill and sat down.
I sensed that she felt ignored and unheard,
shunned and unseen.
She continued pondering the backyard gathering wondering why no one was concerned about the tiger in the house.
She looked to the person that still had their back towards her and watched as the they slowly walked towards the sliding glass door and opened it, leaving the door wide open.
My gaze turned back to the woman on the hill and I knew exactly what she was thinking...
"Oh no! Now the tiger will get out!"
Because the sliding glass door was now wide open, the tiger was free to go; to walk out and into its freedom.
The dream ended.
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During the dream, it became abundantly clear to me that the tiger WAS the woman on the hill. The tiger
represented HER!
SHE had decided to take the tiger into the house believing it was the right thing to do for the sake of the others.
SHE took HERSELF into the house to be hidden away, put away, locked up, & silenced.
This strong, powerful, and capable creature was now put away, LOCKED AWAY in the house.
Alone.
No one seemed to notice or care.
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Have you allowed yourself to be hidden away?
We can allow ourselves to be hidden away for many different reasons…
Perhaps insecurities have crept in; comparisons to others, you’ve given in to the voice in your head telling you “you aren’t enough, you don’t have what it takes.”
You've felt unheard and misunderstood by one or many, perhaps most of your life.
Have you allowed yourself to be imprisoned because you haven’t felt valued? It’s been easier to hide away allowing yourself to be defined and pushed aside by others instead of recognizing your own self worth.
Somewhere along the way, you’ve let others define who you are and determine what value you bring to the world.
Maybe someone you’ve cared about has had their BACK towards you for a very long time & you’ve felt unseen and unnoticed.
It’s hurt you deeply.
PERHAPS you've experienced HURT from a person in your life who should love you the most. They should’ve been a support to you, but instead they’ve walked the other way and turned their back on you.
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Friend, Jesus SEES YOUR VALUE, YOUR WORTH, WHAT YOU ARE MEANT TO BRING TO THE WORLD.
You are NOT meant to be an observer of the party. You are meant to SHINE, not be hidden away. You are meant for more.
GOD CREATED YOU TO LIVE IN FREEDOM.
Tigers are beautiful, powerful, courageous, & self-confident animals. Interestingly, their stripes not only represent their uniqueness, but also help them adapt to their surroundings in the dark.
IT DOESN'T MATTER whether OTHERS "SEE" YOU.
JESUS SEES YOU and HE DESIRES THAT YOU WALK OUT OF THE HOUSE…AND INTO YOUR FREEDOM with confidence & courage.
WALK FREE FROM THE PLACE YOU’VE PUT YOURSELF IN, from the place you’ve allowed yourself to go in order for OTHERS TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE.
HE CREATED YOU to live in freedom. He GAVE YOU UNIQUE gifts and abilities that only YOU are meant to bring to the world. Don't seek acknowledgement and validation from the world. If you wait for human validation, you may wait a very long time, perhaps never reaching your full potential in the waiting.
Look only to the Father.
He knows you inside and out. and He created you to do marvelous works.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
The Lord DOESN'T want you crushed in spirit, hidden away, unable to be used by Him.
Whether you've put yourself there or allowed others to put you there, WALK OUT of the house.
Be RELEASED into your freedom and into your God-given destiny. You are living for such a time as this.
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be FREE indeed." John 8:36
"Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free." Psalm 118:5
*If you were blessed by this post and would like to be reminded to walk in God’s freedom, I’d love for you to go to my shop where you can support my ministry by purchasing a “Walk in Freedom” hat. Let it be a daily reminder to “walk out of the house” into your freedom and be everything you were created to be!
