Dreaming Takes Work
“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”
I’ve had several hundred youth group kids over the years. Most of them had big dreams. Dreams are essential, and I would never try to limit someone’s dream. However, having watched youth through the years turn into adults, I see a significant pattern. Kids in my first youth group are now in their 50s, and some have made their dreams come true, while others remain disappointed.
Some youth had supportive parents and didn’t fulfill their dreams, while others had a poor home life and went on to achieve their dreams. The one factor, or pattern, that kept coming to the forefront was that those youth who fulfilled their dreams were the ones who had a straightforward process and understood the many steps it would take to make their vision a reality. The ones who never quite made it kept waiting for something to change their situation, rather than making planned, incremental changes in their life.
An example would be twins who both dream of owning a successful business. The one twin decides to go to college and major in business. She finds her area of interest and ability, and then nurtures a niche market where she can fulfill a need. She puts money aside, sacrificing to purchase a small storefront. She starts small, working long hours, and then celebrates when she hires her first employee. The business continues to develop, evolve, and expand. She realizes her plan, and she celebrates with the people who have fulfilled their dreams through her company. She feels fulfilled by appreciating all the employees who have found financial security through her business.
The other twin dreamed of success and waited for it to fall in her lap. She played the lottery and tried to ingratiate herself with wealthy people, hoping that wealth would rub off on her. This twin’s dream remained illusory. She spent her life with expansive plans but no well-defined process for turning them into reality. Her disappointment transitioned to blame and bitterness.
Spend some time today reflecting on your childhood dreams and the hopes you still hold. Which dreams came true? Which ones melted away? What made some goals find success, while others remained beyond reach? Was it fear? A lack of ability? God gives almost all of us a special gift or ability. But God doesn’t usually make it a reality without hard work and a plan. Until the day we die, we should continue to act on new visions and goals. What is your next dream? What is your process for making it a reality? And don’t forget, along with the planning, do not stop praying, because no dream has ever been achieved without the support of God’s Spirit. Enjoy the dream, make a plan, and say a prayer. There are surprises and dreams you are called to fulfill in your life!
