Last week we took the first steps to discover our dreams by considering them from God’s perspective. Did you get a chance to answer the brief questions to help uncover some clues to God’s dream for you? If not, click here and scroll down, the questions are towards the end of the post. Then prepare to discover your dream and get going! 🙂
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney
I wonder how many hopes have been crushed on the steps of promises like that? I understand the intent; dream big, reach for things beyond what others or your own inner doubts tell you that you can achieve.
It sounds inspiring, but it simply isn’t true. I can dream until I pop that I will be the next opera singer, but I don’t have the voice for it. I can dream that I will be the next Mount Everest climber, but I don’t have the health for it. My desire has no bearing on the possibility of either of those dreams coming true.
What God has planned for you and me is bigger than a Disney dream. Within each of us, there is a stirring, a deep knowing there is more to the life God has given us.
It’s called purpose.
Courtesy of Crestock.com
Remember Joseph? (See last week’s post, “Discover Your Dream: Pt. 1.”) God used Joseph’s dreams to fulfill a higher purpose, both for Joseph and for others.
Eternity marks the dreams God has planned for you and me, too. Eternity marks the dreams God has planned for you and me. Click To Tweet
I’ll bet Joseph was confused when the dream God had given him didn’t gel with his circumstances. Instead of his brothers and the “stars, moon, and sun bowing” to him in his dream, (Genesis 37:5-11) he was sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. Because God had seeded Joseph’s dream, only He could fulfill it. Joseph’s job was to follow God and stay true to Him. No matter what. Along the way Joseph learned something that can really help us: God doesn’t call us to follow our dreams, He calls us to follow Jesus. God doesn't call us to follow our dreams, He calls us to follow Jesus. Click To Tweet
That’s why pursuing a dream because it’s “in my heart” isn’t enough. Pursuing a dream because “I’m passionate about it,” isn’t enough either. Even pursuing a dream because “it will change lives,” falls short. It’s only when we follow Jesus that we discover the dream with the eternal fragrance that transcends the applause of our peers. We discover our dream when we follow the One who created it. We discover our dream when we follow the One who created it. Click To Tweet ~To know God personally – John 17:3 ~To glorify Him with our lives – Isaiah 43:7 ~To share the gospel with a lost world – Matthew 28:19-20 Framing our lives with God’s purposes instead of our desires, provides a clarifying theme that uncovers God’s dream for you and me. Eternity marks the dreams God has planned for you and me. Eternity marks the dreams God has planned for you and me. Click To TweetHere is a good question to ask: How does my dream facilitate God’s eternal purposes of knowing Him, glorifying Him, and testifying about Jesus? That question reduces “me” dreams to dust. But that’s OK, because I don’t want to waste my life chasing empty dreams or Disney fantasies. If I am going to pour myself out and stretch my family, the dream I invest in needs to count. Not just for me, but for eternity. How about you? What have you discovered about God’s dream for your life? Featured photo courtesy of Crestock.com.“‘It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance…So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise, you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’” Genesis 45:5-11
And an eternal seed was watered. . .
“Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.” Exodus 1:6-7
Which gave birth to a fulfilled promise . . .
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation . . . so the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there…and I will bless you . . .'” Genesis 12:1-2, Joshua 21:43
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19. See also Matthew 10:37-39
We get confused when we focus on the dream instead of the Author of it.
But first we must understand our primary purposes:
Comments 6
“We discover our dream when we follow the One who created it.” And our self-envisioned dreams pale in the light of God’s eternality and utterly perfect plan. Oh, that we would believe & remember & live by this! As usual, you’ve drawn me in, Bethany!
Yes, our dreams definately pale in comparison to God’s eternal plans! Trying to keep it in my field of vision. Thanks for sharing!
Great words for dreamy-eyed folks. I Love how you show Joseph’s dream in contrast with his reality.
God’s dream and our reality is exactly what makes faith such a necessary part of the process. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Very well said. I’ll be sharing this multiple times. Thanks for so succinctly putting into words ideas that real people need to hear.
Thanks, Susan. Dream chasing can really get us off course if God is not leading the way.