Dreaming Intentionally

Dreaming Intentionally 

By Sarah P.

“Reach for the stars.” “Follow your heart.” “Dream big.” All of those phrases express the idea that we’re supposed to “follow our dreams.” What does that mean? The world tells us that it means we can and should pursue whatever we want to do or whoever we want to be. While that may sound magical and exciting, it’s not very practical, is it? What if you want something that isn’t good for you? What if you end up being someone you weren’t meant to be? “Chasing your dreams” could easily be a really bad idea. 

Despite what the world may say, “dreaming big” is not the most important thing in life. We can easily become wrapped up in what we want to do instead of following God’s plan for our lives—a plan that will ultimately leave us more satisfied. God doesn’t want us to stop dreaming! God is a Dreamer Himself; He dreamed up this whole world and everything in it, including you and me! The difference between worldly dreaming and godly dreaming is where you put your focus. Worldly dreaming says, “I want to do what I want to do, what feels best to me, what makes the happiest.” God-focused dreaming says, “What can I do to love God and other people better, serve Him with the talents I’ve been given, and best meet the needs around me?”  

The Bible talks about dreaming in several places. Baruch was a scribe who lived during the time of Jeremiah the prophet. When Jeremiah received a message from the Lord, Baruch would write it down for him on a scroll. During a time of intense persecution where people were trying to kill Jeremiah, Baruch got discouraged. He started complaining about having to be Jeremiah’s scribe and thinking about what he wanted to do to keep himself safe. God sent a message to Baruch to stop him in his tracks: “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!” (Jeremiah 45:5, NLT) God told Baruch to stop seeking his own selfish dreams and instead focus on God’s dreams for him. God promised to protect Baruch because He loved him and wanted what was best for him. 

I don’t think God would say that daydreaming about being a superstar or an astronaut is wrong. But I do believe that God wants us to let Him use our dreams for His glory instead of our own. Instead of building castles in the air and “seeking great things for ourselves,” we need to seek great things for God’s Kingdom. Following God’s plan is hard, but it’s worth it. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” God will always satisfy our needs better than any dream can. So why don’t you start dreaming intentionally about the plans God has for you? You might be amazed at what He does through you, one dream at a time.