4 things to remember about your dream
Waiting for a dream is hard. Did you know that most people won’t see their dreams or greatest accomplishments lived out. But who knows if that’s a real statistic and if I’m too young to know this, right? Unless you ask enough people what their dream or purpose is… We get too busy. Bogged down with expectations of time and presence. I know that I have dreams and hopes I just won’t see come to pass, but I also believe that the things God is going to accomplish in my life is way more than I can dream up right now.
I haven’t quite wrestled with purpose in the way I see other individuals wrestle with it. Now why are we talking about purpose when we’re suppose to be talking about dreams? Because your true purpose gives you dreams on how to fulfill that purpose. BECAUSE… your true purpose gives you dreams on how to fulfill that purpose. I talk to people that are always trying to find their purpose or find the right path, what to do in life. I was the one that didn’t know I was suppose to be looking, I didn’t know I was lost. I felt fine and didn’t like thinking of something past next week. Purpose was a department in life I wasn’t investing in. You could say some seek purpose while others suppress it. I suppressed. What do you do? Maybe it’s too daunting or too much of a commitment? Maybe it’s a path that will take up time and effort. It’ll be hard, maybe even a let down in the end. Would it be worth it after it was sought after? Those were the thoughts that made me suppress purpose and resulted in a lack of dreaming.
The best way I can put finding your purpose is like this:
Imagine who you were before meeting your best friend, or before being introduced to a person that changed your life for the better, 0R accidentally coming across a profession or field or place that you devote years of training to until you retire (& then still have your hands in that community, surrounded by it even after the retirement party). We hear it all the time— at the retirement parties, weddings, transitions to new places, promotions at work, big awards ceremonies, an interviews after winning the Olympics. The person seems astounded that they are living or have lived their dream. Everyone is clapping, but this person is looking back and wondering how they ended up here. What did they do that got them here? Also, why here? They always look overwhelmed, thankful. Or sometimes, have a twinge of regret in their smile.
I’ll give a detailed example. I picture an old band director that saw generations and generations of young people grow up through his band room. He knows everyone, knows everyones parents and grandparents, goes to every school event, but then finally retires after 50+ years. I can imagine him looking back after 50 years and wondering what he was like before he learned how to play the french horn or teach middle school band. He found his purpose. He lived a great dream. But what if he didn’t choose to pursue music, what if he dropped after 6th grade band (like everyone else) because his dad wanted him to try football. It almost seems flippant how our lives, purposes, and dreams can turn out. I'm saying all of this to say: purpose is life-changing. It can be so subtle we don’t know it til it’s gone. Our band director stumbled right into his purpose and then got to see his dreams flow out of that. One day you don’t know about it, the next you can’t remember anything without it. So, don’t be discouraged if you feel lost and purposeless. You might unknowingly be standing right in the middle of it.
Good news: I found my purpose. I wrote a sporadic blog post on it actually. It makes me half cringe and half giggle at my enthusiasm and excitement for the unknown ahead of me.
I’m using the word “it” a lot (which I hate doing & you might have not noticed until I just said it but oh well) because I don’t even know how to put purpose in one word. Or the right word for you. Purpose can change you. Knowing your dreams can also change you. But how do I know what my dreams are? I do have a dream. The funny thing was I didn’t know about it until I did it. Backwards, I know. When I did it, I found my purpose. Then the dream developed. To move to a place I didn’t know about, to fight for a cause I had never seen before, to love in a way I was unfamiliar with, or (fill in the blank with whatever your dream is). I got a taste of it and my heart exploded. I wished and wished and wished and dreamed and dreamed and dreamed. It was new for me so I went a little crazy (because remember I am a suppressor). I found my purpose and I had a dream. If you feel like I jumped and changed too fast, go back and read the cringey blog post then you’ll understand. But I write this to say that it’s been hard. It’s been years. I understand why some people never see what they wish for come to pass or they don’t even realize it.
Shame
has made this journey hard. Yes, that was an awkward shift but you need to know about this challenge. I didn’t know that it was shame’s fault for “ruining” my dreams and ambitions. Shame made me feel bad for not achieving this, or when there was a roadblock it was because I wasn’t trying hard enough. I felt guilty for receiving this great purpose and calling from God and not completing the assignment, reporting back from the mission with sweat on my brow and confidently stating the deed done. I thought God gave me this to do, and I wasn’t doing it. I couldn’t. I didn’t feel good enough for this purpose or calling. Nothing was happening. I’ve fallen into this spot many times over the past couple years. If your dreams truly are God dreams, then there’s no way you can complete the task in your own way. I'm not saying that if your dreams aren’t happening now, then God is going to eventually make them come true. I can’t even promise you that. And I definitely can’t promise you that if you’re for certain it is a God dream, it’s going to physically happen in front of you. Is there any hope then?? because dang that seems like a bummer.
There’s some people in history who I know have felt this and done it better. They might have heard the audible voice of God give them a task, promise an inheritance, a Kingdom, or given them a purpose to literally save the world. LITERALLY SAVE THE WORLD. Now who could that be? I’ve heard of a guy whom God told him “I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies” and the dude waited 99 years! plus 25 more!! Here’s another one. Imagine getting a dream from God of future greatness to then be thrown into prison for yearsss. Imagine coming up on a land promised to you from God and then being sent away to the wilderness for 40 years. Imagine knowing every prophecy you are suppose to fulfill, but not doing so for 30 years. They probably dreamed about it way more than me. I wonder if they had days when they would forget their purpose. Did they ever want to give up? Try to do something else?
Phew. We’re not alone.
God moved greatly through every one of them.
He can still use me.
4 things to remember about your dream:
waiting & trusting
There will be more waiting than doing. So, feel free in your waiting! Do not let shame or guilt lead you in this time. I googled “waiting on God” one time and 1,247,492 other blog posts popped up. You’re not the only one waiting, you aren’t alone and these feelings aren’t unknown. Trust is huge. I’ve learned to make trusting God my anthem in life. Proverbs 3:5-6 please. You will have to trust in the timing and the unknown. Sometimes your dream isn’t anything you can do, it’s all about what God is doing.
prepare while you can, it goes by fast
There is like one thing you can do while you’re waiting. Prepare. I use this a lot when talking to girls about singleness. You need time to prepare for marriage. God has A LOT He wants to teach you and a lot more ways He wants to change you. No, really. You need to change. I thought I was all ready for marriage & couldn’t wait for the day. Now that I’m married— I definitely needed some more preparation. 😅 While you’re waiting, let this time and the lessons you learn prepare you for this dream. Your purpose is going to shape you. Let it.
IT IS GOING TO GO BY FAST. The years will move through with all possible haste. You know how it is. Something from your timeline pops up from 9 years ago and you gasp. “How was that 9 YEARS ago?!” I know I’ve wished them away and regretted when they’re gone. Slow your roll and take sweet time to see how God is preparing you.
when it is practically and logistically before you— don’t forget the heart
Dreams can and will happen! We tend to get lost in the daydreaming and fantasizing that when real moves need to be made, we lose hope or heart in it. A dream isn’t going to turn out to be everything you’ve imagined. That is so limiting. When you’re walking in your purpose, what God has put on your heart will come to pass. Let me tell you, it will be stunning, but it will be weirdly normal. It will become normal to do the things you’ve waited for so long to do. You’ll start filling out papers and forms and taking classes for this thing you’ve been dreaming about doing. It will be normal activity and will probably happen on a normal day like Wednesday. When you start getting into practics and logistics don’t forget the heart. Don’t let this phase trick you from believing you’re not fulfilling your purpose. Remember the first time you knew what you were suppose to do with your life. Remember how your heart caught on fire and you couldn’t stop dreaming about what it would be like. Remember your heart and purpose when it’s hard and is costing more than you thought. It is so important to remember this.
“dream becoming reality runs like water between the fingers”
This is actually a quote from a Dutch writer and I have no idea what he is trying to say. But I know it kinda says what I’m trying to say. When our dreams become reality, it almost doesn’t feel real, or it doesn’t feel like my dream anymore. It doesn’t feel tangible. I’ve fooled myself with this one and I’m frustrated at how wishy washy I can be with my dreams (and yes I did google “when dreams become reality” quotes because I feel like we need a quote in here). It will happen and you can’t quite figure out how to grasp it, just like water running through your fingers. You’re just there. When you’re there, soak it up. You have to feel that dream becoming reality. I pray that you realize it!
