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A Dream: Held Tightly in the Heart, Loosely in the Hands

We live in a society full of big dreams and dream chasers. Multiple outlets telling us to never give up chasing our dreams, to keep dreaming big, but that often looks like us being encouraged to actively pursue said dream in some tangible way. Otherwise, you’re “letting your dreams die.”


What if we began holding our dreams tightly in our hearts, recognizing God has placed a strong pull in our lives towards something, while also holding those dreams loosely in our hands? 


Consider the strongest desire of your heart; the dream in you that you so badly want to pursue. Have you surrendered it to God lately? Have you gone to him and asked, “Is this dream for ME? Or am I preparing the way for someone else?”


We read in 1 Chronicles 28 David’s charge to Israel. He explains in verses 2-3 his heart’s desire to build a house for the Lord and how he had already planned it out. But, God says to him, “You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.” (v.3 ESV) 


We could unpack this even further, examining what the Bible tells us about the life of King David leading up to this point. I am sure we could uncover more context to this whole situation, but the main idea is certainly clear based off of this passage.


God placed a desire inside of David to build the temple, but chose Solomon, his son, to fulfill that desire after David died and Solomon became king. David didn’t get to see his plans for the temple completed.


Think about that deep desire the Lord has placed in your heart one more time. 


Haggai 1:9 reads: 

“You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of Hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.”


Consider this: Have you been busying yourself with chasing those dreams and desires while neglecting your relationship with the Lord? 


I believe wholeheartedly the Lord places desires in our hearts. He calls us to things that become passions inside of us. But, I also believe we can often take those desires, forget who they came from, and take off on a mission to become  “successful” in the eyes of society. 


In John 15 Jesus says:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (vv 4-5 ESV)


Are you abiding in HIM first and foremost?


Our culture has pushed the idea of becoming a dream chaser who never gives up. Parents are working side hustles to reach their dreams and become successful, rather than soaking up the season they’ve been placed in by GOD. 


There is truly a season for everything. How God moves, places things in our heart’s, and guides us in preparation towards the fruition of those things is truly a beautiful mystery. 


There are many stories in the Bible of how God stirs within someone’s heart or promises something, but we don’t see some of those things come to life until later. The Israelites, for example, were in the wilderness 40 years before entering the promised land. Let us not be naive and forget some of those people never made it to the promised land because they died. 


Not every dream and desire in our hearts is for us. Maybe we are paving the way for generations behind us. For our children. 


So, I encourage you to seek the Lord in those things. To ask him to prepare you and guide you as you hold onto those things tightly in your heart, for they were placed there by him, but loosely in your hands, allowing Him to move and work in his way. Apart from Him we can do nothing. Apart from Him, all our efforts and actions mean nothing. 


Our joy is not found in success, as defined by this culture. Our joy is found in the Lord when we seek him in all things. 




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