Let’s stop supersizing “our dreams”

Elizabeth Prata reminds us that God “gives us His Spirit, His love, and grows us in holiness. That’s pretty big.” So why do some Christians desire more? “Must we have huge dreams too?” asks Prata. “Must we encourage each other by saying God has huge plans for our lives?” Well, no  for the reason that “sometimes His plan for our life is not a fantastic rollercoaster of supersized dreams, but difficulty, humiliation, rejection, and heartache.”

What are you supposed to think when someone tells you that God has big things for you? First of all you’re to be a Berean and high-tail it to God’s Word to see if you’re being sold a bill of goods. In the case of  God wanting to supersize your dreams, Elizabeth says that it ain’t necessarily so — and she backs up what she says with Scripture. She writes:

Photo by Jordan McQueen

Megan Miller assures us that “God desires to fill our hearts with big dreams.”

In my opinion I believe He desires to fill our heart with holiness and righteousness of His Son.

Certified life coach Holley Gerth assures us that “there’s a God-sized dream knocking on the door of your heart”. Plus, she “shows you how to forget the lies and expectations the world feeds you and instead believe that God loves you and has even bigger plans for your life than you’ve even imagined.”

Before I was saved, I had not just big plans, I had huge plans for my life. After salvation, God showed me how puffed up those dreams were. Thank you, God.

Michelle Cox prays for us that that He might “Open God-sized doors so that I can accomplish those big things You want me to do…”

Now in addition to God-sized dreams we have God-sized doors? Why all this supersizing?

Paula Casill asks us “Did you know that your dreams and goals are important to God?”

Maybe so. Personally I can’t say with the same conviction as Paula does of what God considers important because I can’t read His mind, only see what He has declared important on His pages of Holy Writ. I do know He considers important being a follower of His plan and will, which is to pursue holiness and be an obedient participant in His sovereign global and eternal plan for His Son.

I don’t know about the motivations of all these people who write book after book about having God-sized dreams. In fairness, some of them write about being obedient to God when the ‘dream’ (I wish they’d just call it a plan or a decision) means they want to do a big scary thing, like start an orphanage or to rescue sex-trafficked girls, or do missionary work in the 10/40 belt, etc.

But for many of them what they mean when they say we have a God-sized dream, is that we have a big, personal dream we want our Big God to fulfill.

Supersizing our dreams is not a good idea. Nowhere do I read in scripture that God has big plans for my life other than the already big adoption into the most perfect family ever, inheriting all things in the universe, and having the Perfect Father, Friend, Brother, Priest, and King who saved us from the wrath that we deserve. I think that is pretty big.

But it goes on. He makes a place for us, will give us perfect work to do that will not be toil, changes our desires from our own dreams to His (hint, hint, you God-sized dream people :)! And much more. He gives us His Spirit, His love, and grows us in holiness. That’s pretty big. Why isn’t that enough for people? Must we have huge dreams too? Must we encourage each other by saying God has huge plans for our lives? Because sometimes His plan for our life is not a fantastic rollercoaster of supersized dreams, but difficulty, humiliation, rejection, and heartache.

I think of the Prophet Ezekiel. “Ezekiel, God desires to fill your heart with big dreams!” He was living a nice life with his wife whom he dearly loved, and who was the “delight of his eyes”. Yet one day God’s word came to Ezekiel and God said in Ezekiel 24:15-18,

The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.

Would today’s kind of evangelism-slash-encouragement about how God is going to fulfill your God-sized dreams given Ezekiel any help?   Continue reading

See our White Paper on Discernment

, ,

14 Responses to Let’s stop supersizing “our dreams”

  1. Sheryl July 27, 2017 at 2:39 pm #

    My dream is for Jesus to step out into the clouds and call me (us) up to meet Him in the air. I feel so earth bound waiting for His return. My dream is to be reunited with my parents and loved ones whom I miss. My dream is to learn eternal truth from the lips of the Master. My dream is to ride upon my white horse, dressed in white, perfected forever. My dream is for Jesus to rule and reign in righteousness upon the earth with a rod of iron. My dream is to see what eye has not seen and to hear what ear has not heard. And these dreams will come true, for they are promises of God to His vessels of mercy. That’s what I look forward to each day. False teachers are selling lies to fulfill their own dreams of fame, power and wealth. Its a trap that ensnares others to focus on the temporary, strive hard and work harder for success and notoriety, and then feel that they’ve failed if its not achieved. It also results in comparing oneself to others. These “big dreams” come from one’s personal desires and imaginations, not from God. God has promised that we will experience trouble and tribulation in this life. Hebrews 12:6 says, “For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” So go right ahead dreaming and striving for your big dreams that attach you to this world. I would rather be chastened by the Lord.

  2. Manny1962 July 27, 2017 at 3:54 pm #

    Amen Sheryl! So well said! I believe it echoes what every follower of Jesus Christ feels inside! We are not of this world! And for us the temporal is meaningless! Maranatha!

  3. Manny1962 July 27, 2017 at 4:18 pm #

    Sheryl, how close are we? I don’t know if you read my post on Visa trying to push for no cash, this sent a chill down my spine!

    https://32market.wordpress.com/2017/07/21/32m-microchips-employees-company-wide/

    “RIVER FALLS, Wis. – July 20, 2017 – PRLog — Three Square Market (32M) is offering implanted chip technology to all of their employees on August 1st, 2017. Employees will be implanted with a RFID chip allowing them to make purchases in their break room micro market, open doors, login to computers, use the copy machine, etc. This program, offered by 32M, is optional for all employees. The company is expecting over 50 staff members to be voluntarily chipped. 32M is partnering with BioHax International and Jowan Osterland, CEO, based out of Sweden.”

    • Sheryl July 27, 2017 at 4:52 pm #

      Manny, I hope we’re closer than we contemplate. I look for every indicator (and there are many) that the winding down of this age is in motion and the gearing up for the introduction of the antichrist is approaching. Such indicators thrill my heart. If we haven’t surpassed the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah by now that led to their destruction, then I can’t imagine what’s on the horizon. Come quickly, Lord Jesus…PLEASE.

    • Darrel July 27, 2017 at 8:27 pm #

      In 1969 I knew a man who was the comptroller of a large bank about the time Visa first came out. He told me then, in 1969, that the goal of visa was a cashless society. At the time I thought that it would never happen, but now……….

      • Manny1962 July 27, 2017 at 9:11 pm #

        My friend I believe in my heart, that Jesus admonished us to watch for a reason! I do believe that all this can come to happen instantly, all you need is one economic “crisis” and automatically things will come to a head. Everything is in place, in God’s good time the Apostasy will be finished, He who hinders will be moved out of the way and the man of sin will be revealed.

        • Darrel July 28, 2017 at 9:25 am #

          Indeed, Manny! May He come today!!!

          I find it sad, even alarming, the scarcity of believers that will voice their desire for the Lord to return soon, immediately, now. has their heart grown cold? God help us all.

          “…To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
          Heb. 9:28

        • berlorac July 28, 2017 at 10:14 am #

          Absolutely, Darrel and Manny, who wouldn’t want Christ to come now?? There is more in the Bible about the Second Coming than the First. The anticipation is for the rule of righteousness and final end of death. There is nothing in this Christ-rejecting world for me. It is under the rule of Satan and his evil forces.

  4. Manny1962 July 28, 2017 at 12:05 pm #

    Amen brothers, the time is so close, and yet so many are not heeding The Master’s command to watch! The more I see the day getting closer, the more my inner man wants to separate from this world and the things in it. Truly there is nothing here for us. Maranatha! Even so, come Lord Jesus!

    1.Israel back in her place sorrounded by her enemies.
    2. Russia back in power already in Syria, King of the North.
    3. Kings of the East, China has already deployed railroad straight to Persia, capable of moving
    a huge army and logistics into Meggido. It’s less than 24 hours by car, by train even faster,
    this railroad will be extended to Syria by China as part of commerce strategy, One Belt.
    5. World’s largest credit card provider hatches plan to reward merchants that stop accepting
    cash, pilot program.
    6. Company in Wisconsin come August 1st will voluntarily chip 50 employees.
    7. An Apostasy raging in Christendom, seperating the bride from churchianity.

    These things are happening now! People can’t see it, or just don’t care. We are admonished by our Lord Jesus Christ to watch!

    • Sheryl July 28, 2017 at 1:29 pm #

      Here is another interesting development for “watchers.”

      https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/90393/infrastructure-bring-millions-pilgrims-temple-mount-quietly-constructed/#0bg8odPeLe2sfDOi.97

      • Sheryl August 2, 2017 at 2:59 pm #

        For those interested in watching, here’s another development from Israel related to the building of the Third Temple…”…we want the Temple back – and quickly”…seems the time for the antichrist to appear on the world’s stage is approaching. That’s music to my ears, for I know my Blessed Hope precedes that event.

        http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/32094/Default.aspx

        • Manny1962 August 2, 2017 at 3:16 pm #

          Thanks Sheryl! I was going to post that! Lol! Israel today is one of the sources I research from time to time!

          It is amazing! All the prophecies are coming together as foretold! People seem to forget Zechariah 12:1-12:3

          Jerusalem will Be Attacked

          1The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, 2″Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. 3″It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.…

          Eventually Jerusalem will be attacked. That is even plain to see today. The PLO, Hezbollah, Syria all ligned up.

          Also look at these and compare to what is happening today!

          Isaiah 51:23
          “I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down that we may walk over you.’ You have even made your back like the ground And like the street for those who walk over it.”

          Zechariah 14:2
          For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.

          Zechariah 14:14
          Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance……

  5. Manny1962 July 28, 2017 at 3:48 pm #

    There’s no doubt the temple will be rebuilt! The man of sin will enter it and proclaim himself God!

  6. Edna Davidsen August 2, 2017 at 8:02 am #

    Hey Marsha

    Your blog post Let’s stop supersizing “our dreams” woke me up today. It was a pleasure reading it because the question you bring up at the beginning: “Must we have huge dreams too?” is so thoughtful.

    It’s really worth asking if God’s plan for us is to live a life with super-sized dreams. I’m totally aligned with you on that issue. For me, just the fact that I’m alive and have friendly people around me is big enough for me.

    The whole motivational wave has occupied a huge space within the Christian online community the last couple of years. The main problem with all this pep-talking is that it lacks foundation.

    It’s difficult to live a life in consistency, built on motivation and big dreams only.

    Thanks for giving us your opinion on this topic.

    Warmly,
    Edna Davidsen

Leave a Reply