Just about all of us have life dreams. These are things we hope for and want to see become reality.
Maybe your dream is to start a new career. You can sense God leading you to something different, but you’re not sure how to get there. Maybe your dream is to get a degree, start a business or a non-profit, or develop meaningful friendships.
Your dream may be to have a happier home. There’s too much stress and busyness. Maybe there’s even conflict. Your dream is to see your family loving and more deeply connected.
My friend David has a dream that is captured in the words of a song by The Highwomen called “Crowded Table.” I want a house with a crowded table and a place by the fire for everyone.
There are everyday dreams, and then there are God-dreams. These are the purposes and plans God created you for. A dream like that is a God-given projected destiny. It’s something you can imagine on the horizon. It’s also a hint from God about what God sees in your future.
It’s likely that in the pursuit of that dream, you’ve hit some setbacks. Your dream became bigger than your reality. You didn’t get the promotion. Your job feels just like a job. The medical report wasn’t good, or the relationship didn’t work out. Life has a way of pushing our dreams to the side. You may have been tempted to give up.
Just because you felt that way doesn’t mean God gave up on you. Your dream is still alive. It’s not too late to see it come to pass.
The key to reaching your dream is to remember the One who gave you the dream and the One who called you to something more. We all face detours and disappointments, but God is faithful. God hasn’t given up on your and your dream.
Here’s some encouragement for wherever you are on the journey of seeing your dreams become reality.
Don’t Stop Believin’
Our church has a big dream for the future. Our vision is to see more people put their faith in Jesus Christ and become better disciples.
We also want to see a big impact on the people in our city. For the last year, our leadership has been talking about the PEACE plan. That stands for planting new churches, equipping servant leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the elderly, lonely, and mentally distressed, and educating the next generation.
This is a vision rooted in the purposes of God as we read in the Bible. God loves to see the kingdom move forward with new works and ministries. God loves its when we care for the youngest, oldest, and most vulnerable people around us.
We know we will face disappointments and challenges in the fulfillment of this dream, but we can’t stop believing that God will fulfill God’s purposes. One of my favorite verses comes from Ephesians 3:20 (NIV). “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”
What about your dream? Have you stopped believing? It may be time to pick that dream up again and ask God to help you fulfill it.
Be Good To Yourself
All of us get tired and discouraged along the journey sometimes. Life can be harsh. Sometimes we feel like everything is working against us.
You can be sure that you’re going to not only face trouble, but also opposition. The Enemy doesn’t want you to be all you can be and all that God has purposed on your heart.
In times of weariness and sadness, I believe it’s important to rest in God’s grace. We can become critical and even harsh with others when we get discouraged. We need to learn to be good to ourselves.
Here are just a few ways to practice some self-care.
Take a walk.
Listen to the music that lifts up your heart.
Call a friend and go to lunch.
Read the Psalms.
Make a plan to spend some time with someone you love.
Go out of your way to get a good cup of coffee.
Make a gratitude list and remember all that God is doing in your life.
I love what I read on March 16th in the daily devotion Jesus Calling. It’s written in a voice as if Jesus himself were talking.
Don’t take yourself so seriously. Lighten up and laugh with me. You have me on your side, so what are you worried about? I can equip you to do absolutely anything, as long as it is my will. The more difficult your day, the more I can help you. Anxiety wraps you up in yourself, trapping you in your own thoughts. When you look to me and whisper my name, you break free and receive my help. Focus on me, and you will find peace in your presence.
Your dream will be realized one day at a time. Some days require more work, while some days require rest. Take care of yourself. You are loved. God is at work even if it doesn’t seem like it.
Faithfully
I believe that the key to seeing a dream realized is to work at it one day at a time. Steadfastness, of faithfulness, is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). God calls us to a steady and sturdy faith.
What is one small step of faith you could take today to work on God’s dream for your life? It may not seem like much, but even a little progress is significant.
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV) says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Because God is faithful, we are called to be faithful. He’s our hope. He’s the source of power for everything we need, including the fulfillment of God’s biggest plans and purposes.
With much love,
Pastor Brent McDougal