Oh, the agony and the ecstasy of surrendering a dream!
I’ve learned so much about dreams.
They don’t “just happen” for one thing. They are often years and years of long hours (Twelve years to be exact!) and many hours of very hard work.
They are a gift from God, yes.
But…
They must always be held loosely, ready to be surrendered if He asks us to.
And He does ask.
(Sometimes.)
I’ve learned that not everyone will rejoice in your dream.
No.
Some will, but some will look on your dream with envy, and even hatred. People close. People you trusted. Seems unthinkable. I know. But it’s real. Sadly real.
They want your dream to fail and when it succeeds instead? Their bitter anger is quite a shock.
It’s part of the cost. (The agony part.) And you need to know it happens.
Though you will try hard to prevent it, you cannot control another’s heart-choices.
People will marvel at what you’ve done; at what you and God have accomplished.
(You and God will know the real truth.)
It was mostly HIM!
You just got to go along for the wild ride.
You know His Truth, “…apart from Him, you can do nothing.”
The compliments will be nice.
Life affirming!
You will get to know yourself in a new way you never could have, apart from your dream coming true that is.
A dream will test you. It will test your gifts, your strength, your love of God. (Oh, yes!) That, too.
Dreams have MUCH joy. But also (at times) much sorrow.
You may discover (like me) that this dream everyone believes “fits you so perfectly” doesn’t really “fit you” the way you thought it might—once hoped it would.
No, not at all.
Someday, someone might challenge you to, “Ask for more.”
And in your heart of hearts? You know there is much MORE God has for you. He has created you for His plan and for His purpose, for His Kingdom.
People will think you’re crazy! Say you’re crazy. (And you will think you’re a little bit crazy, too, sometimes.)
To surrender so much? To just walk away? To lay all these lesser things, these lesser dreams, down?
It will hurt.
But His Voice that is calling to you on the inside where only you can hear is saying,
“There is more… trust Me.”
And so you walk away.
You refuse to fight, quarreling in some sleazy courtroom over nickels and dimes.
Many will say, “You are wrong. Totally crazy! Get an attorney! Fight for what is legally yours! Right is right, after all. Demand your rights!”
But, here’s the thing.
First, the word of God says quite clearly, one believer is not to take another believer to court. [1 Cor. 6:1 ] That’s a BIG problem if you’re trying to live out what you say you believe.
Second, I knew in my heart. I was longing for something more than this “little dream” could provide. I had been feeling that something was missing. A big something.
I was longing for more than mere money. I wanted purpose. Eternal purpose. Intangibles, with eternal significance.
So, my choice seemed clear to me.
I released my smaller dream believing for God’s MORE.
I let The Takers in my life, TAKE.
Without a war.
It wasn’t easy! It certainly wasn’t painless! You may be so Christ-like you could walk away from your half of a six-figure business, but me? I struggled BIG time, for a LONG-time!
But again, if we really believe what we read in our Bibles, then I knew there would be far-reaching eternal consequences to everyone’s choices.
I will come face-to-face with Jesus someday and answer for mine alone.
I will leave others to answer for theirs.
So I made mine. I laid down this dream-come-true.
(Sigh.)
ONCE UPON A TIME… I had a little book shop.
The loveliest little shop.
The sweetest, dreamiest, little shop.
(Everyone said so.)
But I laid it all down.
I gave up ALL those heavy weights…
for A God-Sized-MORE.
“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and FOLLOW ME cannot be my disciple… In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Luke 14:25-27, 33-35 NIV
Thank you Abba for teaching me again—NOTHING this world has to give, matters more, satisfies me more… than Your smile.
Women With Destiny 