Persuing Dreams Gradually

We’ve been talking about how to clarify and pursue some dreams for our lives together with the Lord in really practical ways. Today, I want to offer just a few concluding thoughts to help you pursue your dreams together with the Lord – remembering that He designed you, Heloves you, and He knows the good plans He has for you.

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Today on “Practical Faith,” we’ll wrap up this series on the topic of Dreaming with God.  We’ve been talking about how to clarify and pursue some dreams for our lives together with the Lord in really practical ways.  And today, I want to offer just a few concluding thoughts to help you pursue your dreams together with the Lord – remember, He designed you, who loves you, and who knows the good plans He has for you.

Now, some of us have dreams that actually hold us back.  Dreams, of course, are supposed to pull us forward, but some of us have dreams that hold us back.  For instance, sometimes we may have dreams for our workplaces or organizations that we do not actually have the authority or influence to affect.  Many Christians have these kinds of dreams for their workplaces or even their churches, but because they do not have the authority or the influence to be able to affect change in those places, it can actually start to hinder their personal growth in Christ.

Sometimes, we can have a dream for our future that just flat isn’t gonna happen.  We’re clinging to the hope of something that is not going to happen, and clinging to that hope is actually preventing us - it’s blocking our way from growing in Christ.  If a dream is impeding your growth in Christ - that’s a major red flag - you may need to surrender that dream to God.

Pastor Steven Furtick has asked, “Are you worshiping the way you want God to do it, or are you worshiping the God who said He would, trusting Him to do it any way He sees fit?”

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes related to the topic of Dreaming with God for your life:

Dr. Joe Hill said, “The most important assignment for every leader is to define their desired future. The next important role is to establish a plan to actualize this desired future.”

Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Leadership guru Michael Hyatt says that, “A goal is simply a dream with a deadline.”

Bruce Wilkenson said, “Your big dream always lies outside your comfort zone; you often have to choose between your dream and your comfort.”

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

And this last one from the CEO of the International Justice Mission, Gary Haugan: “A lot of times, we pursue this grandiose notion of courage, like Braveheart leading an axe-wielding army into battle – but probably that’s not what we’re being called to today.  What we really need to do [to show courage] is take that one little incremental step for us that feels just a little bit scary – that goes just beyond ourselves to where we will actually need God.  But then, when we see Him come through, we are encouraged to take that next incremental step that is scary but doable with God’s help.  The thing is, if we don’t muster the courage to take that first step, then we probably won’t have the courage to take that bigger step that God may ultimately be calling us to.”

So!
1. What is the future that you are both hoping for AND working toward with God’s help?
2. Will your current path lead to where you would like to go?
3. What could you do today to bring yourself one incremental step closer to your goal?
4. And lastly, who can help you get there?