ENGAGING THOUGHT
Truthfully, it would be ridiculous to think you haven't been asking this question to some extent all along. After all, isn't that really the whole point of the 60 Days of Dreaming Challenge - to envision our future as we pursue and live God's DREAM for our lives? Absolutely, Yes!!!
However, that doesn't mean we've done a good job of envisioning what that future may look like specifically. In fact, I'd hazard to guess that you might even have unintentionally avoided imagining specific images. We do that to protect ourselves, you know. Life is filled with disappointments, some large (people letting us down in significant ways) and some small (no nearby parking spots...again). We tend to hedge our bets a bit when it comes to imagining what the future holds for us. I seem to remember a Ziggy cartoon from many years ago that had the bemused Ziggy remarking that he liked to keep his expectations for each day at a bare minimum, that way he was always pleasantly surprised.
I think it's important for us to imagine what the future will look like as we discover, pursue, and live God's DREAM for us. Of course, we need to be realistic and admit that it will likely look somewhat different than we can imagine. Even with that said, however, don't stop imagining as much as you can! I love how Paul, the Apostle, encourages his friends in Ephesus:
Sure, we need to be asking for and imagining the right things - that's what this whole process is really all about - but that doesn't diminish what God is capable of, and, according to Paul, what His power is doing within us, right now. Go ahead, imagine what the future will look like as you do discover and pursue and live God's DREAM for your life.
However, that doesn't mean we've done a good job of envisioning what that future may look like specifically. In fact, I'd hazard to guess that you might even have unintentionally avoided imagining specific images. We do that to protect ourselves, you know. Life is filled with disappointments, some large (people letting us down in significant ways) and some small (no nearby parking spots...again). We tend to hedge our bets a bit when it comes to imagining what the future holds for us. I seem to remember a Ziggy cartoon from many years ago that had the bemused Ziggy remarking that he liked to keep his expectations for each day at a bare minimum, that way he was always pleasantly surprised.
I think it's important for us to imagine what the future will look like as we discover, pursue, and live God's DREAM for us. Of course, we need to be realistic and admit that it will likely look somewhat different than we can imagine. Even with that said, however, don't stop imagining as much as you can! I love how Paul, the Apostle, encourages his friends in Ephesus:
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3.20-21 TNIV).Stop and think about that passage for a moment. God's capacity for accomplishment is beyond what we can imagine or ask for - in fact, it is so far beyond, we cannot even measure it! Can you imagine a lot? Can you ask for a lot? Me, too!
Sure, we need to be asking for and imagining the right things - that's what this whole process is really all about - but that doesn't diminish what God is capable of, and, according to Paul, what His power is doing within us, right now. Go ahead, imagine what the future will look like as you do discover and pursue and live God's DREAM for your life.
ACTION STEP
Today's ACTION STEP is essentially the exact opposite of yesterday's.
Take a few moments and write out what you imagine the next couple years would look like if you commit to the pursuit of God's DREAM. What will be the impact on your relationships? Finances? Emotional well-being? Whatever and however you can imagine the future looking like.
Take a few moments and write out what you imagine the next couple years would look like if you commit to the pursuit of God's DREAM. What will be the impact on your relationships? Finances? Emotional well-being? Whatever and however you can imagine the future looking like.
Now do the same thing for five years out; ten years out; 20 years into the future.
Tomorrow we'll ask ourselves some frank questions about what committing to God's DREAM really means for us.
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