Freedom to Dream

Freedom to dream

Celebrating the recent Independence holidays, July 1 (Canada) and July 4 (USA), I am naturally drawn to thoughts of freedom and the cost and sacrifices to obtain such a gift.  

One of the most precious benefits derived from gaining our freedom is the ability to go after our dreams and watch them become a reality.

Our dreams can be every bit as sweet and delicious as a Dreamsicle.  Remember those?  Orange sherbet wrapped around vanilla ice cream on a stick—I loved them as a kid.  Fulfilling our dreams can be like chasing the ice cream truck in the neighborhood, buying our Dreamsicle, and enjoying that cool, creamy sensation on a scorching day.  A dream is something that calls to us, something that may seem impossible or crazy but tastes sweeter and more fulfilling than we could have ever imagined.  

For most of us, fulfilling our dreams rarely goes smoothly.  We end up feeling like our Dreamsicle melted too fast, fell off the stick and landed—splat—on the sidewalk.  Or maybe, more accurately, we did not lose our dreams, but they’re simply buried in the back of our freezers, where they’ve become brittle, with freezer burn and ice crystals corroding their sweetness.  It doesn’t take long for the realities of life to freeze our dreams.  Everyday life has a way of wearing down the dreams of our youth and deflating the hope of seeing them come to pass.  We get frostbitten by the bitter cold of disappointment and delay.  Instead of dreaming big and believing God can accomplish great things through us, we go into survival mode and put our dreams on ice.  A few questions to consider: what if the current place you find yourself in is part of God’s training you up to receive His amazing dreams for your life and; How do we know if a dream is really from God or if it is just an idea that popped into your mind?

To answer the first question—I believe “God has ordained every one of your days before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16b.  Yes, God will use the path your life has been on for His plan for your life.  

Question two has a couple of answers.  God’s dream rises to the top, first, because it requires faith.  If a dream is from God it will be so big in your life that you can’t do it on your own.  If you accomplish it by yourself, no faith is required.  The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6)  So if a dream is from God it will be so big you can’t do it alone.  It will have to be a God thing.  God’s dream also rises to the top because it makes a difference in the lives of others.  It is not a selfish thing.    These dreams will come from your heart, from the core of your being.  God himself places it deep in your heart. 

With anything worth so much, there is risk and sacrifice is required.  As we stated earlier, the path you have been on has most likely been hard and disappointing at times. Why does God send everyone through the waiting room of life?  I’ve come to believe from personal experience it is because He wants us to learn to rely on Him.  God is preparing us to fulfill the dream by teaching us to trust Him.  While we are waiting, we learn He is right there with us and promises that “He will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)  

When going after your dream, the going will get tough; you will get weary.  But remember what is at stake:  “God...is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.” (Ephesians 3:20)

My personality is prone to stay put, not venture out much.  I enjoy same and familiar things around me; it makes me “feel” secure.  But security is mostly a superstition.  Nothing in this world is guaranteed except who we are in Christ.  A mentor of mine shared this quote with me to show me through illustration that God wants more from me, has more planned for me.  She encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and into the amazing life God has planned for me.  I will close with this and be praying God helps you step out of your current situation and into a God given life of dreams!

Blessings of freedom being sent your way,

Cindy

A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. -William Shedd