Living the Dream?

Don’t you love those times when your heart overflows and your voice is lifted in praise; when you say something like this - "God, You have blessed me beyond measure. You’ve poured out good things in great abundance and given me a wonderful place to serve You. Thank You!"

That kind of praise is particularly sweet when there is a dream realized, a hope fulfilled.I am not talking about the escapist kind of dream that avoids life’s realities. However, when we see a God-given vision develop – joy flourishes!

Faithful Dreams and Real Opposition

There are many obstacles that rise up to crush our dreams.
We may focus too much on our perception of limited resources instead of God’s promises.

We may be weary – in body or soul, worn down by discouragement or resistance from those who “just don’t get it.”

There are nay-sayers that say "it can’t be done."

And then there is the reality of opposition from the spirit realm that seeks to block anything good and God-honoring.

Do You Dream?

Do you know that God has plans, born in His heart, that He wants to unfold in your life?In Ephesians 1, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes:

"God thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ… It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living..." (The Message)

Hebrews tells us that God’s plan, through Christ, is to “bring many sons to glory.” That includes a mature faith, deep devotion, a life shaped by spiritual gifts, and fruit that lasts. It’s a unique plan tailored to who you are—your personality, your experiences, your challenges—woven together with the power and resources of Heaven to build a life that brings honor and praise to our loving Father.

And one day, that plan will culminate in your eternal welcome into the Father’s house, where you will enjoy His presence and love forever.

Breathe In the Vision

In your times of prayer and reflection, ask God to inspire you—that word literally means to breathe into. Ask Him to plant a fresh vision in your heart.

People of the Spirit need two sets of eyes: the ones they’re born with that see the world as it is, and the eyes God gives us to see the world as He wants it to be. That is vision.

The prophet Joel captured this beautifully when he wrote:

“And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your old men will dream dreams,
    your young men will see visions.

Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28–29)

Inspired by the Vision

Years ago, when my children were teenagers and sometimes resisted the direction I offered, I tried to instill in them a vision for the kind of people they could become. They didn’t always understand it at the time.

I believed that by helping them see past the moment, I could give them something to reach for—something that would motivate them to rise above the temptation to drift or indulge in aimlessness. That was part of my godly duty as their father: to help them see.

Our Heavenly Father calls us to lift our eyes seeing beyond the moment, past the challenges, finding purpose and meaning. Then we will more readily say, "Yes, Lord," even when the path includes hard lessons and disciplined growth.

Glory Defined

Make no mistake: living into that vision is not automatic. It’s not inevitable. You might say, “But it’s God’s plan!”—and that’s true. But He gives us the freedom to either embrace or resist it.

So today, ask God to help you understand His purposes. Let Him paint a picture of the glory He’s designed for you. It probably won’t look like the world’s version of glory—wealth, fame, or influence. It will look like Jesus: the glory of a well-formed character, the fruit of the Spirit maturing in your life, love and joy and peace in abundance.

Then—yes—God will rejoice over you.
You’ll be living the dream—His dream for you

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3)

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