While growing up, I thought, “One day, I’m going to be an astronaut.” At some point, that dream changed and I wanted to be a professional water skier! Is that even a full-time profession? That dream changed too when I won second place in our school’s talent show performing a Barry Manilow song. If you're asking, “Barry who?”, Siri can help with that answer!
I still haven’t made it to space, I haven’t been on my slalom ski since dislocating my shoulder, and I’m pretty sure the rock star days have passed me by! Years ago if people would have told me my career would take me around the world speaking, writing books and eventually becoming a pastor in Nashville, I would have thought they were crazy! But here I am doing things I never dreamed I would do!
Whatever your age, God has dreams for you too. I’m not sure He would use the word dreams, but He does have a plan specifically for you. God created you with certain abilities and talents.
God has something for you to do that no one else can do better than you.
Have you asked God to show you what career(s) He has for you? He will if you ask Him. He may not reveal this to you right away, but in His way and time, God will make clear to you His plans. In the meantime, whatever is before you each day, God expects you to work hard in all you do.
Second Thessalonians 3:10-13 is a great reminder about the importance of hard work. This passage lays it out pretty heavy. It tells us that we will not eat if we do not work! Verse 13 encourages us to never get tired of doing what is good.
In your marriage, at school, & work, when everyone is looking and when no one is looking, God’s expectations of you are always the same - give it all you’ve got!
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could receive a text from God each day detailing what’s next, what’s expected of you, and the right thing to do in every situation? Such a life might seem easy. It would also become boring! There would be no wonder, no adventure, and no anticipation. You would never have to figure anything out for yourself or seek God’s guidance. Life would be routine, robotic, and meaningless. Thankfully, God didn’t create you to be a robot. Instead, He wants you to learn what it means to trust Him, believing He has it all figured out.
God has something for you to do that no one else can do better than you.
There will be moments when it seems there are no immediate answers to the questions you have about family, relationships, a career, and more. This is where trust in God will be critical.
Throughout Scripture we read stories where God’s people worked hard to accomplish the plans God created them to fulfill. And, Ecclesiastes 2:24 tells us that there’s hardly anything better than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in his work. This verse is a promise that when you work hard, God will honor you.
Whatever season of life, dream big. You only have one life. As you dream, remember God’s plans for you are far greater than anything you can plan, especially if your plans include wearing black parachute pants while singing a Barry Manilow song.