Dreams

I remember as a little girl I had all sorts of dreams of what I was going to be when I grew up. It was always changing. At one time it was a ballerina, or a gymnast which I practiced for by hanging upside down from anything that would support me or doing cartwheels off the church stage. At another point I had an obsession with ice skating, not that I'd ever been ice skating in my life but I wasn't going to let that stop me! Unfortunately a lack of natural grace and an inherent klutz gene created a bit of a roadblock to those plans.

One of my favorite dreams that I had was when I decided I was going to be a missionary and I was going to travel to villages on horseback. I feel like that plan needed a little bit of work but most of my dreams did. Especially the ones where I dreamed of being a princess, taming a dragon and riding a unicorn.

My dreams have obviously changed a lot since I was a little girl. I realized I'm a terrible dancer so now I just dance when no one else is around. I learned that I don't have the discipline, much less the talent or balance to be a gymnast or an ice skater. I realized that God wasn't calling me to be a full time missionary overseas but instead calling me to youth ministry right here. And although I enjoy riding horseback I wouldn't want it to be my only source of transportation. And even thought every little girl wants to be a princess and probably ride a unicorn, reality looks a little different.

Everyone has dreams. They'll look different for different people. Someone who's in the hospital may have a dream of getting out to spend more time with their family. A person who is lonely dreams of finding connection. That little girl sitting at her window staring out at the yard may be dreaming of her prince charming coming someday, or she may be dreaming of what career she'll tackle when she's old enough or what country God might send her to as a missionary.

Dreams are always different. For every person, even for the different situations in your life. The age you're in or the stage of life you're in make a difference of what your dream is. There's short term dreams and long term dreams. Funny, silly dreams like my dream of being a princess or a ballerina and more serious dreams like buying a house or having children. There's forgotten dreams and dreams that you've never let get too far from your heart. Dreams you're actively seeking and dreams that you've never told anyone.

Proverbs 16:9 says "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."

This verse got me thinking about the dreams that we have. We have a dream and so we begin planning for it. Maybe we stop to pray, "Lord, please let this thing happen." or "God, please clear this roadblock so my dream can happen." But do we ask the Lord His opinion on our dreams?

He directs our steps. If we want to follow His leading and if our desire is to go where He directs us then first we need to talk to Him about it. When that dream comes to life in your heart don't just blindly follow it and ask for God's help along the way. Hold it up to God and ask if it's the direction He wants to direct you. Let Him direct your steps and your dreams.

When you share your dream with God ask His opinion before you go off to chase it. Ask Him to give you His dream for you. Sometimes letting go of your dream is heartbreaking but the dream that He'll give you to replace it will be far better then anything you can imagine.

Jeremiah 29:11 says "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

God won't just take away your dreams but sometimes He replaces them. Let Him decide what dream you chase.