Faith
We all have an idea of where we are to head. We lay out our plans, plot our moves, choose our words and actions, and then hit go- hoping that wherever we’re going is better than where we’ve been or where we find ourselves now. We navigate our way through life as the clock keeps ticking and the worries keep growing, hoping that by pushing through with our own strength we’ll somehow end up where we want to be- where joy, peace, and contentment are abundant. But one day, one month, one year later we wake up to the realization that we won’t be reaching that place we once thought was the only possibility for us. That, or maybe there’s a delay in getting there- or maybe adjustments to be made to the vision. Regardless of what has happened to that long sought dream- the one and only option we’ve created for ourselves- sometimes life just throws us a curveball. Sometimes the plans get scratched or scrambled in the mess of a break up, or in the sweet beginning of a new romance. Sometimes academics and career work will change your plans, well other times it strengthens it. Different people who weave in and out of your life with different stories will impact what happens to that dream you’ve been holding tightly for what seems like all your life. Tragedy and tears can alter the future like nothing else. The list can go on and on, but as you can see, life is not short on curveballs.
Now, let’s clarify something here. If we fail to dream about our futures, we lose a great aspect of our humanity. Instead of seeing the world full of wonder, opportunity, and hope, we fall into a negative quicksand of cynicism. Although a healthy dose of realism is required to prevent a reckless pursuit of a certain goal or vision, when we start to tear apart dreams and begin to think of every quest as a lost cause or dead end, we find ourselves taking away the beauty of life and opportunity to see people capture the passions that capture them. So dream, we must. However, we must never hold so tightly to a dream that it begins to control us. If we cling too firmly, then the circumstances life hands us may drive us insane with worry, fear, bitterness, hopelessness or a sense of instability. Consequently, our vision may become “endangered” and we will respond with panic, not knowing how we can trust God if the dream we trusted for so long is somehow in risk of being lost.
However, I’m beginning to learn (the hard way of course) what it means to look ahead to what is to come but also realize that things are not in my control. Just because events don’t unravel according to my various specifications it doesn’t mean all hope is lost. There is still plenty to look forward to, even when I do not understand why God has allowed or not allowed certain things in my life. When I feel the walls closing in, it means that it might be time to alter my dream, wait for it to begin, or maybe even let it go. All of these options are difficult, mainly because they hit at the core of us getting what we want, exactly how we want it, and when we want it. However, there are things out there that God has for us to do and if we persist in having tunnel vision, we limit our effectiveness for God because we become unwilling to accept any changes God makes to our plans. We put God in the back seat and tell him to hang on, instead of relying on His Word to guide us in our lives and encourage as we walk towards our future. We also become obsessed with figuring it out. We try to chart every step that could lie ahead, and with our eyes focused as far as we can see, we miss the fact that we can only go one step at a time in enjoying God and living for His glory. I do not believe that dreaming about the future and developing a certain vision is detrimental, however, we must not forget the importance of today and how today is changing tomorrow. Then, when those changes occur, we must be willing to trust God in guiding us instead of resisting His hand. We must habitually submit our plans to Him and believe He knows best.
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