I Don’t Want My Dreams To Come True

I have become a pretty intense follower of podcasts and in the ones I am listening to, a trend is occurring. Women are getting in touch with their dreams and following them. Most examples are things like starting that business, writing that book, or launching that podcast. Discussions about such dreams involve trusting God to gain a platform, develop a following, and carve out a space to make a difference.

Why have I been unable to wholeheartedly support these messages? What has been bothering me? This week I think I figured out why.

I don’t want MY dreams to come true.

I want GOD’S dreams for me to come true.

There seems to be an assumption that if a woman has a desire in her heart, God must have put it there. I am not certain that can be assumed. I am not certain, for example, that all of my innate desires are pure or that I am immune from the world’s influence about what success looks like. I also think I am prone to confusing my talents and personal traits with the spiritual gifts God has given me and wants me to exercise instead.

Don’t get me wrong. I have HUGE dreams that God will use me mightily for His Kingdom and I ask Him to do so nearly every day.

I believe God wants to use EVERY member of the body of Christ in HUGE ways.

But God decides the huge way. Not us. I don’t even want to hand Him my specific dreams. I dare not assume that I have any capacity whatsoever to determine what God had in mind for me when He thought me up before the foundations of the world. He created us for a good purpose and only He knows what that is: 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)

Therefore, I want to surrender my life and let Him live His dream through me.

God will use each of us mightily because God Himself is amazing and beautiful. To begin, each of us bear His image from birth. Our physical appearance, location on the globe and personalized life-span are His handwork, created by Him to tell His Story through each of us. Once we link our life to Jesus Christ through the power of His Spirit, God can then live His nature through us to a watching world.

Every surrendered life will bring gasps of joy when we get to heaven and see what God did through us: 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…(Ephesians 4:5)

The role I play in God’s story for history could end up being visible —

Like a main character in a feature film,

• I may be thrown into the media limelight through some event that allows me to visibly follow Christ for all to see.
• I may become a speaker that becomes known.
• I may become a writer that publishes something that becomes widespread and influential for Christ.

Or the role I play in God’s story for history could end up being quiet —

Like a supporting character in a feature film,

• One of my children could end up leading thousands to Christ.
• One of the students I am teaching could track with my blog five years from now and come to know Christ and lead hundreds to Christ.
• My self-published book could lead one reader to Christ, who then has a child who becomes a pastor of an amazing church 30 years from now that influences an entire city for Christ.
• I could be living in an assisted-living home at the age of 97 and lead the grandchild of my neighbor to Christ, who then becomes a missionary that takes the message of Jesus to an unreached people group.

Whether our story here on earth is VISIBLE or QUIET, ALL stories will result in glory and praise to the One who wrote the story in the first place and who cast each of us perfectly in His story for history. Together, globally, we live out Matthew 5:14:  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

So chin up, everyone! Backs straight. Heads high. We are magnificent because He is magnificent. We are valuable because He gives us value. Each of us is guaranteed to be used mightily for the kingdom of God, whether our role is visible or quiet.

Your dreams may not come true, but God’s dreams for you will come true.

Enjoy your day.

Picture Explanation: World Down Syndrome day (WDSD) was this week, March 21. WDSD is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. (Learn more HERE.) My friend Keller and her son Timmy are such a good part of my life. I celebrate both of them every day.

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