Dreams are from God
The older I get, the more I think that God puts things on your heart for a reason. If you have a big dream - like say, to start a non-profit or be a foster parent - I really think God puts those things on your heart.
Now, I'm not talking about a dream to go to Europe or hike the Appalachian Trail. Those are more bucket list items that are fun, worthwhile, and I'm not demeaning them at all. I have lots of dreams like that; go there, do this. What I mean are those dreams that won't go away and you start looking for ways to fulfill that dream early on. You start researching options and you read whatever you can on similar organizations or people. These are the big dreams that take more people than just you, that take many years to make happen, that take time and money, that require God to be behind them or they will never work.
Another thing that I think God gives to you is "The List". You know, that list of "Requirements For My Future Husband" that so many Christian girls make.(I know guys make them too, but I'm a girl, so I'm writing from my perspective). I made one, lots of my friends made one. From some circles, the list gets a bad rap. Regardless of what you think about lists like that, I personally believe that God puts on your heart the things that are essential in a man (or woman) you might marry. He knows who that person is (He knows the future, so obviously He has already seen your wedding day!) and He knows what they're like.
When I made my list, I was pretty young - like, 12. I've updated it a little since then, but it's stayed the same for the most part. My mom made a list of things she'd want my future husband to be, and I got a few ideas from that, but mostly, I looked at my parents' marriage for things that a husband should be, and I looked at some marriages that aren't so good, saw what a husband shouldn't be, and got ideas from that. Example: I knew that he needed to be able to communicate by seeing what lack of communication does to a marriage. I just observed people around me. But I think that God guides that. I think that He reveals things to us to say, "Look. That is honoring to Me. That is not honoring to Me."
I've heard stories of people, boys and girls, who made lists and when they married, their spouse fit everything and more. Sometimes, people realize that something they didn't see as important, really is, and something they thought was non-negotiable, isn't as big of a deal as they thought. Everybody is different and every relationship is different. But for those who seek God and His Will in their relationship choices (and planning ahead), I really think that He guides them and places on their hearts the things they need to know.
There is a great devotional from Crystal McDowell all about dreams. It's called "Power of the Imagination". Click here to read it on her site: (daughtersofthecreator.com) I'm also posting it below.
What dreams has God birthed in your heart and mind? The Lord gives us ideas in our imaginations to accomplish great works in His name. The imagination is a powerful gift from God because it allows us to see the potential and possibilities of the impossible. Yet how do we know it’s from God and not just our own vain imaginations? Take the following inspiration test to discover if you are on the right track.
1) Who gets the glory in your imagination? We must be careful to not let our imaginations drive us to self-glorification. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into the desires of fortune and fame, we could lose the God-focus of the dream. Many people have been ensnared by the deceitfulness of riches. Yet our goal must always be that God will be glorified and not our own personal gain.
2) Do you need God in order to accomplish this dream? When God gives us a dream to accomplish, He makes it much bigger than us. In this way, wedepend on His grace, strength, and mercy to get it done. If we don’t need God’s help, our dream may be too small. He stretches our faith when we rely on His wisdom to finish what we’ve started. 3) Does the intended completion result in people being drawn to God and His goodness? Regardless of our gift, it’s never about us. It’s about God leading people to know Him and grow in their faith. When we make everything about us, we lose purpose and passion. The energy and engagement of bringing people to Christ supply the fuel to keep our dream moving.
4) How does this dream build up and support the church? Believers need to be actively engaged and serving in their local ministries. Our churches serve as opportunities for us to grow our gifts under the wise counsel and direction of spiritual leaders. None of us are an island to ourselves—we need the body of Christ in our continued development of the dream.
5) If you have failed in accomplishing parts of this dream, does it continue to circle back to your heart and mind? When God has placed something on your heart, it won’t go away. We will wake up with its purpose pounding in our hearts and minds. Every time we are reminded of our godly purpose and destiny, we are excited and driven towards achieving the goals of God. On the other hand, any vain imaginations will most certainly die over time as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord.
Now, I'm not talking about a dream to go to Europe or hike the Appalachian Trail. Those are more bucket list items that are fun, worthwhile, and I'm not demeaning them at all. I have lots of dreams like that; go there, do this. What I mean are those dreams that won't go away and you start looking for ways to fulfill that dream early on. You start researching options and you read whatever you can on similar organizations or people. These are the big dreams that take more people than just you, that take many years to make happen, that take time and money, that require God to be behind them or they will never work.
Another thing that I think God gives to you is "The List". You know, that list of "Requirements For My Future Husband" that so many Christian girls make.(I know guys make them too, but I'm a girl, so I'm writing from my perspective). I made one, lots of my friends made one. From some circles, the list gets a bad rap. Regardless of what you think about lists like that, I personally believe that God puts on your heart the things that are essential in a man (or woman) you might marry. He knows who that person is (He knows the future, so obviously He has already seen your wedding day!) and He knows what they're like.
When I made my list, I was pretty young - like, 12. I've updated it a little since then, but it's stayed the same for the most part. My mom made a list of things she'd want my future husband to be, and I got a few ideas from that, but mostly, I looked at my parents' marriage for things that a husband should be, and I looked at some marriages that aren't so good, saw what a husband shouldn't be, and got ideas from that. Example: I knew that he needed to be able to communicate by seeing what lack of communication does to a marriage. I just observed people around me. But I think that God guides that. I think that He reveals things to us to say, "Look. That is honoring to Me. That is not honoring to Me."
I've heard stories of people, boys and girls, who made lists and when they married, their spouse fit everything and more. Sometimes, people realize that something they didn't see as important, really is, and something they thought was non-negotiable, isn't as big of a deal as they thought. Everybody is different and every relationship is different. But for those who seek God and His Will in their relationship choices (and planning ahead), I really think that He guides them and places on their hearts the things they need to know.
There is a great devotional from Crystal McDowell all about dreams. It's called "Power of the Imagination". Click here to read it on her site: (daughtersofthecreator.com) I'm also posting it below.
What dreams has God birthed in your heart and mind? The Lord gives us ideas in our imaginations to accomplish great works in His name. The imagination is a powerful gift from God because it allows us to see the potential and possibilities of the impossible. Yet how do we know it’s from God and not just our own vain imaginations? Take the following inspiration test to discover if you are on the right track.
1) Who gets the glory in your imagination? We must be careful to not let our imaginations drive us to self-glorification. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into the desires of fortune and fame, we could lose the God-focus of the dream. Many people have been ensnared by the deceitfulness of riches. Yet our goal must always be that God will be glorified and not our own personal gain.
2) Do you need God in order to accomplish this dream? When God gives us a dream to accomplish, He makes it much bigger than us. In this way, wedepend on His grace, strength, and mercy to get it done. If we don’t need God’s help, our dream may be too small. He stretches our faith when we rely on His wisdom to finish what we’ve started. 3) Does the intended completion result in people being drawn to God and His goodness? Regardless of our gift, it’s never about us. It’s about God leading people to know Him and grow in their faith. When we make everything about us, we lose purpose and passion. The energy and engagement of bringing people to Christ supply the fuel to keep our dream moving.
4) How does this dream build up and support the church? Believers need to be actively engaged and serving in their local ministries. Our churches serve as opportunities for us to grow our gifts under the wise counsel and direction of spiritual leaders. None of us are an island to ourselves—we need the body of Christ in our continued development of the dream.
5) If you have failed in accomplishing parts of this dream, does it continue to circle back to your heart and mind? When God has placed something on your heart, it won’t go away. We will wake up with its purpose pounding in our hearts and minds. Every time we are reminded of our godly purpose and destiny, we are excited and driven towards achieving the goals of God. On the other hand, any vain imaginations will most certainly die over time as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord.
Prayer
Dear Lord, I don’t want my dreams from You to die because of wrong motives. I need Your direction and insight on how to move forward. Amen.
In His Service,
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