DREAMERS
dream |driːm| noun1 a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep: She was a dreamer.
I love to dream. I love surrounding myself with dreamers, goal-setters, high-achievers, and believers. I am future-oriented and forward-thinking. And I love being around people who push me to be better and to dream bigger.
But sometimes "dreamers" can easily become discontent with our present situation, always looking ahead for the next best thing. It can be so easy to lose sight of our contentment and gratitude for the season of life we currently find ourselves in.
When we’re single, we want to be married. When we’re married, we can't wait to have children. When we have children, we envy our single friends who still "have a life." We interview for the perfect job and when we get it, we wish we could just stay at home. Right? Ha!
Joseph was one of the biggest dreamers in the Bible. In Genesis Chapter 37 it tells us that he had several dreams from God when he was young about all of his brothers bowing down before him. God showed him incredible things about his future, but it wasn't until Chapter 42 (and 22 years filled with being sold as a slave, put on trial for crimes he didn't commit, and a long waiting period in prison) that he actually saw those dreams come to pass.
I love the story of Joseph, because through it all, he remained faithful to God. In those 22 years of "waiting" for his dream, Joseph wasn't waiting at all. He was being developed, pruned, and prepared for his destiny as a high ruler of Egypt!
When God gives us a dream, He rarely shows us the long, winding path it will take to get us there. As a child of God, you are walking in purpose and destiny every single day. Life is not about a destination, it is about the journey and who you are walking that winding road with. Each day, each lesson, and each interaction will play a part in the roadmap of your life. You are developing your character as you go!
"We can rejoice when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:3-5
As dreamers, we need to be careful that our dream never becomes more important to us than the One who gave us the dream. God will often give us a vision or passion to fulfill in our lives, and those things can become idols to us. Our "gifts" start to become more about us and building our own Kingdom, than about building the Kingdom of God. If we place our "purpose" in life over our love for God, then we will never be satisfied.
"You will eat but never have enough. Your hunger pangs and emptiness will remain. And though you try to save your money, it will come to nothing in the end." Micah 6:14
God's desire is to have a relationship with you and to develop your character for your current assignment. So take your focus off your dream and place it on the One who gave it to you. Our dream-giver! Ask God to show you places in your life that need more care and development so you can be ready for the dream when that time comes.
Prepare yourself today and every day for your purpose and destiny. You are living in it today!
XO-
Sabrina