Dreaming is a Child-Like Behavior
Kids know how to dream. My daughter wants to be the first woman president, a famous actress, and a worship leader. She wants to be up front and noticed. She believes she can change the world.
Somewhere along the way all of our beliefs about being important and being capable of changing the world is challenged. We question if we really have what it takes. We consider that those dreams were just conceited and prideful. So we lower our standards to pursuits that are more realistic.
Is this what God wants for us? If we need to be like a child to receive the kingdom of God, maybe there is more to these dreams than just flattering our egos. Maybe every kid knows how to dream because they were created in the image of God. God is calling you to dream.
We Fight Against Our Dreams
All of us to varying degrees have a conflict in our heads about whether or not we can change the world. We want to make an impact and yet hear words in our heads about it being a vain pursuit. As a Christian this struggle becomes more intense.
When God comes to live in us, He begins to reawaken dreams (Acts 2:17). But we are also aware of our weaknesses, struggles, and sin. We sometimes disqualify ourselves before even allowing the dreams to form by thinking they are too prideful or we are not good enough.
But God is the one who put the dreams in you. It may not look the way we initially expect, but He has called us all to impact our world. He wants His kingdom to go to every corner of the earth by way of us, His children. My daughter may not be the first woman president, but there are seeds of leadership that God has deposited that wants to come out in leading a group of people into a better lives.
My Family Has a Dream
My family has a dream of creating a family for teenage orphan girls in Asia. Every 2.2 seconds an orphan leaves the orphanage. With limited education, job skills, and connections, the girls are vulnerable to human trafficking. The fact that we left not knowing any of the language or culture, not having money raised, not knowing anyone living there, and never having stepped in the country, our dreams were a bit far fetched. The need seemed too big for what we would be capable of doing. This is God’s intent. He wants us to dream the impossible dream.
In the midst of this, He has provided. He has allowed us to set up a business where we can hire these orphan girls when they leave the orphanage. He gave us a farm with a dorm that will provide a place for them to live and work. He has giving us volunteers who traveled around the world to help this dream come to pass.
Dream the Impossible Dream
The thing is, if our dreams don’t seem impossible, we will never give room for God’s miracles. God wants to use you as a canvas to show off His goodness to the world. He wants you to grow in your friendship with Him so you will know just how much He loves the people He has created.
The world needs you to dream. There are adventures with God that He is waiting on you to embark on. He knows how He has created you (Jeremiah 29:11). He knows what you are good at and what you will enjoy. There are people who need to see the goodness of God revealed in your life.
This is where prayer can become very practical. We need to confess our unbelief that God can use us. We need to listen to God’s words of affirmation over us. We need to see ourselves as He sees us, which is His children who are capable of anything.
You are amazing and made for great things because God put significance in you (Ephesians 2:10). To live an ordinary life is to belittle the person you are. The One who created the universe is living IN you and loves you to the depths of your being (Romans 8:9-11). You are not an insignificant piece in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). We need you to be fully alive.
Dream on!