ENGAGING THOUGHT
So, let's say you stumble upon a dusty old lamp in the attic, clean it off, and the genie pops out offering you anything you need to pursue and fulfill God's DREAM for your life. What do you ask for? Have you given much thought yet to the stuff you'll need in your DREAM-pursuit? I'm not talking about the time or the support of others; we're past talking about the schedule or the physical space - now we need to take a look at the stuff - the specific items - we'll need.
Maybe God's DREAM for you has an artistic or creative aspect to it. Fine. Then what materials or mediums will you need? What kind of equipment? Perhaps the unique DREAM for you requires an educational or retraining aspect to it? Okay, so..will your computer be adequate? What about books? Videos? Maybe God's DREAM for your life requires a water-buffalo. Excellent.
This might be a revolutionary thought to some: God has already committed everything you'll need in the pursuit of His DREAM for your life. There's an old cliche in church-circles that says, "Where God guides, He provides." Think of it in this silly way: if you asked a bunch of friends to come to your house and help you paint it - would you tell them to bring the paint? Would you expect them to go to the hardware store and plunk down their own hard-earned cash to purchase the supplies for painting your house? Would you tell them to bring their own lunch with them? Get my point? It's one thing if you're pursuing your dream for your life - then you're on your own to come up with the stuff you'll need. However, if you've resolved to pursue and fulfill God's DREAM, then you can be sure that He will provide whatever you need to make it happen.
I've noticed a few myths when it comes to God's provision in our lives - let's deal with them quickly (I've thrown in some annoying cliches, too).
Myth 1) Inaction: Just because He provides doesn't mean we won't have to work for it. "God may feed the birds of the field, but He doesn't drop it in their nest."
Myth 2) Timing: He is under no compunction to lay out everything you will need, up front, before you take your first steps forward. He'll provide for you along the way. "God is never late in paying His bills - though He's rarely ever early, either!"
Myth 3) Mistrust: The resources He entrusts to us are for us to use - not for us to hoard - perhaps not even for us to preserve. He is faithful to replenish as we use them. "Disuse is just as much abuse as overuse."
Myth 4) Prima-Donna: God provides what we need, not necessarily what we want. Think of the stuff He provides as tools for the job, not artifacts for the museum. "Keep your wants from crowding your needs and you'll find the Lord keeps your needs out of your wants."
One of the values of having a written plan and an idea of the things you'll need is that you can see when you might need different things in your DREAM-pursuit. This helps in a couple different ways: first, it helps you avoid the paralysis of thinking you need certain things before you need them. Example: If God's DREAM for you is to fly yaks in and out of Mongolian villages - but you haven't started flying-lessons yet, then your written plan helps you realize that you don't need a four-engine cargo-plane quite yet. You don't have to wait until you have the plane before pursing the DREAM. The lack of the plane isn't stopping you from moving forward in the pursuit. Secondly, your written plan helps you have an idea of the things you'll need so you can keep an eye out as they cross your path. Example: When you spot that four-engine cargo plane at the neighbor's garage sale for $30, you know it'll be a good purchase and that you'll need it soon.
Maybe God's DREAM for you has an artistic or creative aspect to it. Fine. Then what materials or mediums will you need? What kind of equipment? Perhaps the unique DREAM for you requires an educational or retraining aspect to it? Okay, so..will your computer be adequate? What about books? Videos? Maybe God's DREAM for your life requires a water-buffalo. Excellent.
This might be a revolutionary thought to some: God has already committed everything you'll need in the pursuit of His DREAM for your life. There's an old cliche in church-circles that says, "Where God guides, He provides." Think of it in this silly way: if you asked a bunch of friends to come to your house and help you paint it - would you tell them to bring the paint? Would you expect them to go to the hardware store and plunk down their own hard-earned cash to purchase the supplies for painting your house? Would you tell them to bring their own lunch with them? Get my point? It's one thing if you're pursuing your dream for your life - then you're on your own to come up with the stuff you'll need. However, if you've resolved to pursue and fulfill God's DREAM, then you can be sure that He will provide whatever you need to make it happen.
I've noticed a few myths when it comes to God's provision in our lives - let's deal with them quickly (I've thrown in some annoying cliches, too).
Myth 1) Inaction: Just because He provides doesn't mean we won't have to work for it. "God may feed the birds of the field, but He doesn't drop it in their nest."
Myth 2) Timing: He is under no compunction to lay out everything you will need, up front, before you take your first steps forward. He'll provide for you along the way. "God is never late in paying His bills - though He's rarely ever early, either!"
Myth 3) Mistrust: The resources He entrusts to us are for us to use - not for us to hoard - perhaps not even for us to preserve. He is faithful to replenish as we use them. "Disuse is just as much abuse as overuse."
Myth 4) Prima-Donna: God provides what we need, not necessarily what we want. Think of the stuff He provides as tools for the job, not artifacts for the museum. "Keep your wants from crowding your needs and you'll find the Lord keeps your needs out of your wants."
One of the values of having a written plan and an idea of the things you'll need is that you can see when you might need different things in your DREAM-pursuit. This helps in a couple different ways: first, it helps you avoid the paralysis of thinking you need certain things before you need them. Example: If God's DREAM for you is to fly yaks in and out of Mongolian villages - but you haven't started flying-lessons yet, then your written plan helps you realize that you don't need a four-engine cargo-plane quite yet. You don't have to wait until you have the plane before pursing the DREAM. The lack of the plane isn't stopping you from moving forward in the pursuit. Secondly, your written plan helps you have an idea of the things you'll need so you can keep an eye out as they cross your path. Example: When you spot that four-engine cargo plane at the neighbor's garage sale for $30, you know it'll be a good purchase and that you'll need it soon.
ACTION STEP
Take out your written plan and start making a list of the items you will need relating to each step along the way.
Be sure to give it some in-depth thought and think ideally what you might need. Don't limit your list to the things you already have or can procure easily - I'm going to repeat what I've said before: this is God's DREAM for your life. He has long been committed to seeing it fulfilled, the stuff has already been ordained for you and will be available when you need it.
It might be helpful for you to highlight the things that you do not yet have so you can be praying for and keeping your eye out for these things.
Be sure to give it some in-depth thought and think ideally what you might need. Don't limit your list to the things you already have or can procure easily - I'm going to repeat what I've said before: this is God's DREAM for your life. He has long been committed to seeing it fulfilled, the stuff has already been ordained for you and will be available when you need it.
It might be helpful for you to highlight the things that you do not yet have so you can be praying for and keeping your eye out for these things.
Tomorrow we'll look around our community and see who or what might already be in place to help us as we pursue the DREAM.
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