“What kind of home would you like one day?”, my husband asked as we drove down a quiet state route. Such a simple question, but such a loaded question for me. He continued to probe, “Where would it be and what are the details?” As I scrambled to get my thoughts together about this home, he grew impatient with me. “Are you afraid to dream?” And this hit me hard.
I hadn’t considered the idea that I was afraid to dream. I mean I have lots of ideas and thoughts about what I desire and where I want to be one day soon. But in some areas, I stop myself before I can dream. I stop myself when the process of dreaming starts or right before it can begin. As we drove on, the question stayed with me and haunted me. “Are you afraid to dream?” and I had to be honest with myself. In some areas, I have big dreams and hopes, but in others, I am not dreaming. I am refusing to consider the possibilities. I realized that a few reasons why I am afraid to dream:
- I am afraid to dream because my dreams may not fit other people’s vision / ideas for me
- I am afraid of being disappointed if the dream is not actualized.
- I am afraid that dreaming too big may signal dissatisfaction with where I am now.
As I struggle to dream more, and to dream bigger, I see that the the Lord instructs us to have vision (Proverbs 29:18; Habakkuk 2:1-3) because He is a God of Vision. Nothing is haphazardly put together in God’s Kingdom. Vision precedes everything He creates and likewise, He calls me to have vision.
What I now realize is that my dream signifies my belief in a God that is bigger than I am, a God that is mighty and powerful. My ability to dream does not mean that I am not grateful for where I am. Instead, it is a realization that where I am is not ultimately where I will stay forever.
If you’ve ever had high expectations, only to later be disappointed, then something chips away with every disappointment. But as a believer, I have had to shift my perspective. I am starting to see disappointments as opportunities for God to chart a new path, opportunities for God to raise up help from somewhere unexpected. And to some extent, dreaming requires vulnerability. It requires our hearts to be open and laid bare. Dreaming demands that we go beyond our day to day life and our present reality. It shoves us outside of our comfort zone and requires us to expect greater from God.
But what if the actual dream(s) never comes to pass? I have resolved that my dreams enable me to see beyond my present circumstances, my present conditions. My dreams propel my faith in God and dare me to believe that God can do something more than what my eyes can see. My dreams allow me to consider the vastness of God and all His capabilities me to see that God is in control of the journey and that though I do not know every single turn and twist and of my path, God is aware and He will bring me to an expected end. (Read some other posts about dreams here: God’s Dreams or My Dreams, The Cost of Dreams, God is With You )
Have you been afraid to dream in certain areas of your life (career, business, marriage, family, ministry)? Where is God calling you to dream big(ger)? Where is God calling you to open up your mind to new possibilities in Him?
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27
Lord, you are the dream giver and the dream fulfiller. You have already promised to bring me to an expected end. You have promised to complete the work You have started in me. I trust You enough to believe in You for more in my life: more joy, more gifts, more open doors, more favor, more of Your Spirit moving through my life.
