Dreaming dreams and planning life. That is what I think best describes the quest of a 20/30 something. If you are anything like me, you have probably spent hours mapping out your life or dreaming up your next big project in which you will conquer the world. I am a planner and I get big thrills over brainstorming new ideas.
So when I read this during my Bible study, you can imagine how it rocked my world.
My primary concern should not be, What should I do with my life tomorrow? but, What does God want me to do today? As you follow Jesus one day at a time, He will keep you in the center of God’s will. (
Experiencing God page 11)
The authors of this study, Henry and Richard Blackaby, summed it up in a short sentence:
Watch and see where God is working and join Him.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! You mean I can’t come up with fanciful dreams and expect God to grant them at my beck and call? You mean I can’t plan out my life or projects and pray God’s will over them? Huh?!
After I got over the initial shock in this shift of paradigm, I searched for some sort of word picture that would aid me in wrapping my mind in this new concept.
When we have determined that we desire to follow Jesus and HIS plans, it is as if we are stepping onto a subway. We have to physically go to that subway station, hop on a train and join in on its predetermined journey. {This is what it looks like to join in on what God is already doing}
The opposite of the subway is when we plan out a place we desire to visit, call a taxi, the taxi comes to US and we tell the taxi to drive. Are you catching my drift here?
I have found myself daily walking through these two scenarios every time I feel a nudge of a new brainstorm or a new plan brewing. I used to come up with these fanciful plans of wonderful, noble things I would do for God and then call up my taxi to take me there. Yes, those plans would pan out some or most of the time. But, I have to wonder, would my grand plans be more impactful had I just made my way to the subway and joined in on what God was already doing? Would things have gone more smoothly if I had prayed for the Lord to show me ways He was moving around me and prayed for the doors of that subway to open so I could join in with my God-given talents?
If Jesus even followed this way of thinking, I sure as heck better follow it, too, right?
But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working. So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. (John 5:17, 19-20)
Here are a couple of questions for you. I really would love your thoughts as I am STILL trying to wrap my mind around this concept.
~So many people talk about dreams and aspirations. Based on what Henry Blackaby wrote and based on John 5, are we no longer supposed to dream and plan?
~Once we dive deeper into a relationship with Jesus, do our dreams and aspirations conform and match up to God so that we automatically dream and plan in line with Him?
Leave me a comment and lets get a good convo started…
I believe God gives us dreams, desires, and goals… places them in our hearts to be used for His glory. HOWEVER, I know that I am constantly having to remind myself that the important part is to focus on HIM, not the dream. That is where I often fall short and land right in the middle of the obsessive planning/call my own taxi trap. This is such interesting timing… I just wrote about God teaching me not to constantly analyze opened and closed doors, new or failed opportunities, but to stay focused on Him in the moment. Think He is trying to tell me something…? :) I obviously needed this!!!
Brittany,
You are so very right. When we place our focus straight on Jesus, we run right into our purpose. Heading over to check out what you wrote asap!
Sarah! I was just reading in 2 Peter & the word calling jumped out at me. It hit me that what I struggle with in this is actually determing the difference between my dreams and God’s callings….am I called by Him to do this(whatever “this” is at the moment)?—is this part of fulfilling a bigger calling in Him?—-or is this just one of my personal dreams that I’m hoping He’ll jump on board with? Rocked my world.
Brittany,
Umm…girlfriend…I think YOU need to be writing a blog post on this. Get to it girl. :)
Wow! This is so awesome and perfect timing too! I am starting to think about college, and frankly, it is stressing me out a bit!
I think that our plans and dreams do conform to what Jesus wants in our lives as we grow closer to him. I also think that ultimately, God always gets His way and whatever God wants to happen in our lives WILL happen, no matter what.
Tay,
You are right in that ultimately God’s purposes win out. What I try to remind myself is that the more impactful road is the one I take when I track with His purposes and not my own.
So glad you shared your thoughts!
Sarah-
Before I came to know Jesus, I dreamed of being on Broadway. I was determined that I was going to move to New York City and be an actress. Then I met Jesus and He completely rocked my world. Now all I dream of doing is being in ministry, leading worship, and missions work for the rest of my life. In fact, I can’t imagine doing anything else. God has laid those things on my heart and I heard Him speak those things to me. Ever since I’ve come home from Turkey, I wasn’t focusing on God but on what was next. I obsessed over if I was going to school and where and what for. I was driving myself crazy. After a deep heart to heart with a close friend, she told me I have to give everything to God. Every worry, every fear, and of trying to control my situation. I did that and God is opening doors and putting me exactly where I need to be. I have a peace over what’s next for me like never before. I know He has me in His hands and He will, in His timing, open the doors for me to pursue the dreams He has laid on my heart.
Michelle,
So glad that you had a friend to speak truth to you about giving your future plans over to God. It is easy for us to live in this truth for a while and then slip back into planning out our own lives and dreams again. I constantly have to remind myself to return to HIS plans. Thanks for sharing!
I’m graduating in a little less than a month, and this is a wonderful reminder for me :) I definitely think it’s ok to dream and to plan, so long as we don’t hold too tightly to our own plans, and keep ourselves open to what God has planned for us. And I would tend to agree that, the deeper our relationship with Christ the more in line our desires will be with God’s…that’s a natural part of any relationship! I ask God often to mold my heart to be more like his, and I can look back on the past few years of life and see how he has answered that prayer in so many ways, and I look forward to how he will answer it in the future.
One thing I struggle with, and I’m betting others do as well, is drawing the line between my dreams/plans and God’s. There’s a fine line between pursuing God-given opportunities and justifying the creation of your own. How would you draw/define that line?
McKenzie,
You bring up such a good question and honestly, I am trying to figure that one out myself! There is, in fact, a fine line between God-given opportunities and our own “grand plans.” I think you answered this question in the first part of your comment where you talk about how the more we align ourselves and focus on Christ, our hopes and dreams are molded to His plans and are in line with His purpose. I think the key is to see where God is already working (the subway illustration) and using our God-given creativity and planning skills to join in. You are so right…this IS a very fine line, though.
So glad you brought up this question!
Sarah,
Thanks for your encouraging words :) We all need that for sure. I recently graduated college and got married. Talk about life changing things all at one time! Well I am working in the Recreation Ministry of a fantastic church. I couldnt imagine leaving this place BUT if the Lord needs me to I will. I have been struggling with the decision of going to grad school or not. I have had this dream for so long but is this God’s will?
Well a got a little nudge this past week pointing me in the right direction. We had VBS and after care and we had a special guest come and entertain our kids one afternoon. He started talking about being in places to share the gospel. Well HELLO.. I work in a church, of course I get the chance to share the gospel BUT is this the place that I can share the gospel the most? Probably not. See if I go to grad school then get my doctorate then I can teach at a college. Teaching at a college would probably give me more of an opportunity to share my faith.
Now Im not saying I cant share the gospel working at a church but I am willing to “Go and Teach”
I’m going through a bit of a trial, right now. I feel as if my dreams are getting in the way of strengthening my relationship with God. My dream is to become an interpreter. I am obsessed with languages. I could go on with it 24-7 (or so). My family isn’t in a good condition, either. They are not saved. I feel like I’ve been given ample time to help them become saved, but I constantly feel something pulling me back. I feel like a complete coward. God has blessed me a lot throughout the years and I want to show them how good He is, in spite of the condition of the modern world (there are times where I feel that I’m not even walking in the light–in other words, being a hypocrite). I want my family to be saved, but they seem too uninterested. My sister, from time to time, asks me about church, but never seemed to put her interest into action. My mother is in a thick darkness (my father as well) and she feels as if she doesn’t need God…well, at least that’s what it looks like. Life is hard and I feel like the close of “probation” is very near. And I feel that I’m not even close to being ready. I want to help my family, but I feel like I’m not getting anywhere in life. I just need some advice (my dreams vs God’s will & my family issues). Is there anyone with the same problem(s)?