Our Dreams Matter.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

One of the most important things we can ever do in this life is to fight for our dreams. We must hold onto them in the same way Christ held onto us as He made His way to the cross. Our dreams matter. They are intrinsically tied to our personal happiness and our ability to positively impact the lives of those around us. When our dreams and goals are rooted in Christ, we develop a personal commitment to experience this journey to the fullest, creating a domino effect of good for friends and strangers alike that cannot be contained. Philippians 2:3-4 reminds us to:

“let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Do not let doubt stop you. Do not let fear break you. God makes up the difference when our dreams stem from principles and motivations that reflect the character of Christ. God encourages us to work for our dreams, as Ecclesiastes 5:3 reminds us “For a dream comes through much activity.” He helps our ideas and hopes to become realities, marking the success of trials overcame and goals attained.

Our dreams matter.

They remind us of what is worth holding onto, even when life pushes us in the direction of letting go. There are times when it will seem easier to let go because the alternate journey seems to have guaranteed results. Examine that route closely. There will be times when we need to remove broken relationships and toxic friendships from our lives to move forward. There will be times when we must rid ourselves of hurt, pain, and shortcomings to see clearly.

Yet, there will be times when the reason for removal is grounded in fear. We feel unsettled in our decisions because we’ve come to a standstill. The uncertainty paralyzes us. We act rashly or not at all. We hold onto doubt instead of holding onto God. So many thoughts flow through our minds. What if we are making the wrong decision? Will the cost be too high? What if our dreams are changing? What does that mean about the initial time invested or sacrifices made?

We start to fill our lives with substandard somethings than have to endure through moments of nothing. We deny who we are, what it is we need, and the value of being at peace. Philippians 4:6-7 advises us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The risk in not following our dreams

When in doubt, God has given us prayer as a way to discuss and seek council regarding what to do next. What God has not done is given us an excuse to do nothing, or to compromise our standards to make a “dream” come to reality. Our standards are supposed to build networks that align our journey with the Spirit of God. When we sacrifice these standards in hopes of achieving a desired end result, we cannot expect good to come. It’s counterintuitive to sacrifice what can help you the most in hopes that it will show up in the end. God has to be there throughout the journey for optimal results.

Placing God at the Center

Only when God is at the center of what we do, that He can reveal in us His greatest works that result in our highest moments. On the other hand, without Him, our lowest moments seem lonely and inescapable. Never lose faith. No matter where you are, God can still find you. He holds onto each one of us, hoping that we eventually find value in holding onto Him.

Knowing God is the key to our true happiness and peace. It takes courage to find Him, fight for Him, and acknowledge that our journey may not take us down the path originally intended. Yet let us remain committed to going where God needs to take us. He never leaves us, so we can fight for our dreams knowing “hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).

So follow your dreams, because our dreams matter. Who we become along our journey, however, matters even more. It is God’s will to abide within us, and when He does, our focus will no longer be end-result driven, but character driven.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:6-9

So fight for your dreams. Fight for the people you love. Fight for your soul.