The Value of a Dream

Have you ever had a dream?  I don't mean the kind of dream that one has at night while asleep or in the day when one wishes his life were different.  I mean the kind of dream that set the course of your life, colored your ambition, and fueled the flames of your desire.

A dream can enable you to endure hardships, heartaches, and headaches.  It can make opposition appear to be opportunity.  A dream can project you forward, adding adventure and vibrancy to your life.

I'm not one that believes that every dream is achievable.  Some dreams are destined for failure. I'm never going to walk on the moon (or moonwalk for that matter).  There are several reasons for the death of my moon walking dream.  Some where in my control, like I could have studied harder, got in shape, joined the military, and applied to work for NASA, but others were out of my control, like NASA stop sending people to the moon.

But many dreams are achievable.  They take hard work and determination and providence.  Many people get to experience their dreams coming true, even when they don't reference God.  God's people, however, realize that their dreams come true, because God had purposed them to come true.  We are in a sense dreaming God's dreams after him.  Or to put it another way, God fills our minds with dreams that he then enables us to fulfill to his glory.

A few things to keep in mind when thinking about a dream.  First, ask yourself if it is for the Lord's glory or your own.  Find a different dream if it turns out to be for your own glory.  Next, be adaptable.  If your dream is so narrowly focused, that it can only be fulfilled through statistically improbable means, don't hold your breath.  Let's say I have two cents in my pocket, but I want a lot more.  I may wish I had a million dollars by February 1st, 2010, but, most likely, under normal circumstance it isn't going to happen.  Finally, realize the old expression, "It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all," can be applied to a dream.  It is better to pursue a dream and never achieve it, than to let fear of failure keep you from chasing your dream.

But what should we do when we see a dream coming true?

1. Give thanks to God for his merciful favor both in the dream and the realization of it.
2. Rejoice in the experience to the glory of God.
3. Remain watchful.  Be ever vigilant. To whom much is given, much is required.
4. Pray for the strength and wisdom to see the dream fulfilled and remain humble throughout the process.
5. Keep dreaming.  We were created to build on our successes.