As a child, I wanted to be so many different things. I had thousands of dreams swirling in my head. It was like one of those spinning fireworks were whirling in my head—each spark representing a dream or idea for my future.
There was a season where I wanted to be a world famous magician. I wasted hundreds of dollars at magic shops and I nearly drove all my friends away, because I couldn’t help but show them the latest illusion I mastered. That vision for my life lasted a year or two.
Then there was a time I wanted to be a stunt man. I killed many brain cells by rolling down large hills and jumping out of moving vehicles. That dream lasted until my mom put an end to it.
I wanted to be a comedian. A rock star. A circus lion tamer. An Indian…well…Native American.
Were those dreams from God? Probably not. But those weren’t exactly dreams—just interests.
It wasn’t until later on in life that my dream began solidifying. It turned from fleeting obsessions into lifetime longings. My internal compass began pointing toward the real things God has for me. I began to see the thread woven between each of my childish passions that ultimately led me to my dreams.
And if God gave me these dreams, I knew I had to pursue them. Otherwise I was missing a deep purpose God had for my life.
You might be asking the question, “How do I know my dream is from God?”
It’s an important question. If your dream isn’t from God, it isn’t worth pursuing. It would be a waste of time and energy. It would ultimately lead to frustration and discouragement.
The good news is, however, it’s easy to find out if your dream is from God. A God-given dream will do a few things:
- It will ultimately bring glory to God.
- It will bless and benefit others.
- It will seem bigger than what you can handle on your own.
God is glorified when we love others and point them to Him. A God-given dream will never take advantage of someone’s misfortune in order to point the spotlight on us. It will always be beneficial for others and direct the spotlight on the One who is worth spotlighting.
God also loves to do what seems impossible in our lives. When we accomplish the impossible, we know it wasn’t because of our own doing. We know it was because of God working in us to do “far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of.”
Does your dream qualify? I’m willing to bet it does. And I’m willing to bet that scares you a little bit. Doesn’t it? Knowing God has given you a dream increases your level or responsibility in the matter. You can’t just ignore it and sit on the idea. A dream from God will grab you by the collar and demand your attention.