Into the Fire

I kept struggling with the “follow your dream” thing. I couldn’t figure out why. Today it hit me. For it to compute correctly in my mind and moreso in my heart, I had to hear it this way: “Follow God’s dream for you.”

I’m not saying those who say it the other way don’t mean it the way it makes sense to me. But I couldn’t resolve it in my heart when it was all about “my” dream. Because God knows I’ve had them—MY dreams. Dreams originating with this imagination given by God but not directed by God. And all those dreams pursued ended up in so much invisible dust: as in Poof! And the more I hammered on those things to make them happen, the more difficult and distant and discouraging they became. Because they were MINE. Not His for me.

There can be no denying God’s purpose for a life. Sometimes young children are implanted with singular desires and carry them through, rarely wavering, into adulthood. That would be me. Other people journey along the avenue of experience wondering where it’ll all end up, and eventually life arrives at the precise spot where God provides the answer to the search.

Although men tend to be goal oriented, I can testify that women are purpose oriented and in need of fulfillment. I’ve had friends who’ve wanted to be wives and mothers since they were little girls. Their families have been their purpose and fulfillment. I’ve been driven by wanting to make a difference, to do something meaningful which was only accentuated and given more a sense of urgency when Jesus saved me. Then I knew I had to make a difference for Him. Obedience becomes fulfilling.

Dreams are no different than anything else when it comes to salvation. They need to be salvaged, too. Maybe redefined and fine tuned and possibly purified, but they don’t have to disappear. No, if we were never to think large, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to remind us that with God all things are possible. The miniscule mustard seed faith grows with every application of prayer and every answer achieved.

The thing about a dream is we have to come to a place where we surrender it to our Lord, giving it to Him for fulfillment or recycling. Because without His divine touch, it’s a worthless endeavor designed to satisfy this nagging flesh that will never say, “Good. Enough. Well done.” And the un-yielded dream becomes a weight of unbearable burden, one we can never carry nor ever relinquish.

So instead of chasing after the “impossible dream”, turn to the One who makes all things possible. Lean into His dream for you and set your heart upon it. Follow His lead, down the steep trails, up the difficult slopes, always seeking the satisfaction of pleasing Him who allows you a piece of dreaming big, the stepping stones of dreaming small, and always the satisfaction of bringing Him the glory.

Dream on!

Father, thank you for the dreams in my life–even for the ones you’ve led me away from. Thank you for fulfilling me with your ways, your thoughts, your dreams for my life. You are so gracious to me. Help me to keep them cohesive with your desires first and foremost. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.