Don’t let your dreams turn into a nightmare.
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I am a dream chaser. My dreaming nature was put there by God. I have discovered that most of the time my dreams bring life and energy to myself and those around me. Unfortunately, at times my dream has made my life miserable.
When in the right light, your dream is wonderful. However, being human we have to make sure that our dreams haven’t turned into one of these 4 things or the dreams will quickly become a nightmare.
Lust. Lust is an overwhelming desire or craving. I believe pursuing our dreams turns to lust when we can’t be happy with our lives until we achieve what great grandeur is in our minds. I have been guilty of this; putting the dream on a pedestal thinking it will create happiness. This is a sure-fire way to ruin our lives.
Pursue the dreams that God has placed in your heart, realizing that some dreams will be seen when you are gone.
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Pursue the dreams that God has placed in your heart, realizing that some dreams will be seen when you are gone. Chase the dream giver instead of obsessing over the dream. When you can chase a dream with everything inside of you and are okay if it never happens, you are in a healthy place. It is a hard place to be but, it is a sign of someone who trusts God.
Identity. Where is your identity found? When it is tied to a business, dream, or achievements your focus is off. I have struggled in my business of not liking the identity of a pizza maker. I have swelled with an unhealthy sense of pride for the ability to work my face off.
Our identity is in Christ, being a son or daughter of the King. Don’t cheapen your identity by taking on something other than a priest or priestess of the King!
Self-centered. When we make our dreams about ourselves, pride gets inflamed. We are easily offended and have zero flexibility when others voice their opinions. Criticism is personal and our egos are shattered when others don’t catch the vision.
Our dreams are not about us! They are designed for others and only when we learn to serve others can we be happy. How can you serve people with your dream? A life focused on others is the only way to be truly happy. If you are miserable, reframe your life and position it around others and how you can help them.
Impatient. Although I have done all four of these things, this is the hardest for me. Impatience is no other thing than us trying to be God. If we trust God and we believe the Bible, it says that He is never late. So if we are uptight about how long something is taking, we are trying to assert ourselves into the mix as God.
Trusting God is not as easy as we make it sound, however, it is necessary. Enjoy life while you wait. If you and I don’t learn to enjoy the journey, what else is there? Life is a journey so we better get to truly living by trusting God’s timing.
Chase your dream, but if you are miserable on your journey may I suggest you examine why? Move forward, trust God, and serve others. Be blessed on your journey.
Are you a happy dream chaser?
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Originally published on ZechariahNewman.com.
Photo: Getty
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