Going in Grace

Welcome to Going in Grace, a podcast where we go beyond simply understanding God's word. We explore how to live it out daily, making a meaningful impact in our lives and the lives of those around us. Let's tune in to this week's episode.

Today, we're discussing a powerful truth. God is big, so our dreams should be big too. Too often, people settle for mediocrity. Not because they lack ambition, but because they don't fully trust the vastness of God's plans. Scripture shows us that God calls his children to dream boldly. Today, we'll explore why dreaming big is biblical, how to keep our dreams aligned with his will, and why settling isn't an option for those who seek to walk with him.

The Bible is filled with stories of people who dared to dream big because they trusted God. Look at Abraham. God didn't just promise him a small blessing. He told Abraham in Genesis 15:5, "then he brought him outside and said, look now toward heaven and count the stars if you are able to number them. And he said to him, so shall your descendants be." Imagine hearing that when you had no children.

God wasn't thinking small and neither should we. Our faith should reflect the greatness of our God. Another example is Joseph. In Genesis 37:5, Joseph had a dream that placed him in a position of leadership. Though his journey was filled with obstacles, his dream rooted in God's purpose came to pass. A God given dream will face challenges but it won't fail. Sometimes we are the ones that bring challenges into our situation. We have to seek God on his instructions around who to share our dreams with, what the appropriate timing is, what types of resources or even education we may need. These are the types of things that can ensure that we can walk in the vastness of our dreams as well as walking in God's wisdom.

Dreaming big doesn't mean chasing selfish ambition. It means pursuing God's best for our lives. Here's how we can align our dreams with God's will. First, we need to seek his guidance. Before running after any dream, we need to ask God for his direction. Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches, "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths."

Second, we need to prioritize kingdom impact. Our dreams should glorify God and uplift others. Matthew 6:33 reminds us, "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you." If our dreams are selfish, we want fame, we want fortune, we want everything that will make us happy or maybe even those around us happy. But, we're not looking at what will advance the kingdom, what will give God glory, what will demonstrate His wonder and His amazingness in our own lives, then maybe we're misguided. It doesn't mean that everybody's called to be a pastor. It doesn't mean that everybody's called to be a teacher, but we are all called as believers to put our hands to the plow, and to advance the kingdom of God.

So consider, is your dream something that will bring God glory? Can you point people to Jesus? Even if what you do is manage in a retail store or work within a corporation, you can still bring God glory. Submit your request to God and he will help you to understand what's next for you. Third, we need to trust this timing. Dreams require patience. Look at David, he was anointed king, but he had to wait many years in order to take the throne. 1 Samuel 16:13 tells us all about the story.

David had the opportunity multiple times to kill the current king of Israel, but he was patient and he waited for God to seat him on the throne. Delayed dreams are not denied dreams. Make sure you don't fall into the trap of allowing time to tell you whether or not you're walking in God's plan. The enemy wants us to settle for mediocrity, convincing us that we aren't qualified, capable, or deserving of great things. God's word says otherwise. Jeremiah 29:11 declares, "for I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Ephesians 3:20 assures, "now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us." We don't serve a small God and we are not meant to live small lives. When we shrink our dreams, we limit what God wants to do through us. So what's stopping you from dreaming big? If God placed a vision in your heart, trust that he will guide you to it. Don't settle, don't doubt, dream big because your God is big. It's not about you. It's about our amazing God.

Thank you for spending time with me today. If this has been a blessing to you, be sure to send it on, pay it forward, and encourage someone else. I hope you have a great rest of your week and I look forward to discussing with you next time. You've been listening to Going In Grace. Be sure to visit us online at brandistover.com.