Our dream, God’s will
My caregroup had a brief discussion about last Saturday’s sermon on Hindrances to Victory, and we’re on the question of whether it is right to pursue our dream if it glorifies God. Agreed that the examples of greed and power aren’t exactly the best in describing the people we have in our congregation today. Many of us think biblically in the line of advancing God’s kingdom. Some say they’ll make lots of money before retiring and plant churches all over the world. There are those who want to tie the knot fast and make lots of babies and raise them to be strong and biblical people (haha I don’t know who). Then again, there is the biggest dilemma of all time: how can I serve God in ministry yet do well in my studies/workplace/NS to glorify Him?
I’m reminded that the end of a God-ordained vision is God. If our dream is ordained by God and is in line with His perfect will, we have God’s richest blessings for His plans to succeed. Because what God originates, He orchestrates.
What if I don’t know if my dream is in line with God’s will? Then find out if it’s rightly so! Prayer is the key.
Some times I ask myself when I’ve reached the end of this vision or dream, does it make a difference to God? I’ve made God more visible by carrying His name on my fame or achievement. But it doesn’t just end here.
I’ll stick to this philosophy from John Piper, that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. Ultimately in doing what we do in our spheres of influence, being the salt and light and a vessel of God’s love, we come to enjoy God for who He is. We can please God by being faithful in the smallest of things too!
I would think that more often than not,we might mar our own desires with “God’s plans”, claiming that hey I want to be rich because it will glorify God and we delay God’s actual plan in the immediacy in exchange for a overly-unripe time to jump at certain dreams that we have. I guess to separate the two,we would have to test our motives. But then again,the heart is deceitful,as fallible humans,there is every possibility that we will self-psyco that this is indeed God’s plans in our plans and we throw aside so many things to reach something so far-fetched. A good question to ask first is whether if put to the test, we would be willing to give up that particular area entirely.Godly counsel is a must and we must be willing to accept what we wouldn’t want to hear. Furthermore, in determining whether its God’s plans in our plans, it will take alot of deliberate discernment and seeking of God.Remembered what Jiehui taught about connecting the dots in our lives during the Victory in Spiritual Warfare teaching. Are there authentications/signs that point towards this particular direction? If not, are we just forcing our way through with our own plans instead?
Hey shep insightful phrase ‘What God originates, He orchestrates’. Yeap I reckon JL’s right in that one of the key tests of whether its our will, is whether we are willing to give it up if the need arises. (I’m willing to give up LFI if the need arises XD)