On the banks of Loch Ness stands the stately ruins of a once grand castle. Jean-clad tourists now trek where jeweled women once ran their keeps. This building was subject to war and weather, but the ruins still stand, a broken tribute to the past success of several Scottish clans.
This castle got me thinking...what happens when our dreams, our plans break? What happens when dreams die?
It is an inevitable fact of life. We aren't promised anything. A sense of entitlement because of education or accomplishment gets us nowhere. What do we do when everything falls apart?
If I have learned anything over the past 3 years, I have learned that the death of one dream is not the end. It may be the beginning of an even better dream. When my dreams came to an end, I did the only thing I knew to do...
I prayed, and the Lord gave me a new direction, a new dream. I truly believe God is a BIG DREAMER. And He greatly delights in doing extraordinary things with the most unlikely candidates, often those whose dreams have ended.
Moses, prince of Egypt, became a banned shepherd in the desert, yet the Lord used him to fulfill His covenant promise to Israel and lead them to the promised land.
Joseph, dejected and incarcerated, became the right hand man of Pharaoh and saved his family, the ancestors of Jesus.
Paul, the pharisee who killed and captured many Christians, spread the gospel to Gentiles all over the known world.
When our plans and dreams crash, pain and bitterness can often tear us apart, destabilizing us, discouraging us, instilling feelings of failure.
DON'T GIVE UP! I've been there. God has bigger, more beautiful plans than I can tell you. Can you imagine His delight in planning something better than you expect? "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
Don't hold onto the ruins of past dreams. Rebuild something better, something useful, surrender to the One who can't wait to lead you somewhere amazing.
No promises it will be easy. But it will be worth it. Will you trust Him to dream better dreams when your current dreams break?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Great post, Kariss! Thanks for sharing your journey. I graduated with a masters degree in counselling, and when door after door closed, I felt like a failure. But God opened another door, and now I'm the Office Manager of a large church. Still get to do ministry, but in a different way... a better way more suited to my gifts. It's sometimes still hard not to slip back and think of what it could have been like, but I know God's plan is so much better than anything I could have planned for myself.
ReplyDeleteHey Laurel! Good to hear from you. It is so true. I couldn't have written my path. Think the most outrageous, unlikely journey, and the Lord set me on it. I'm convinced the Lord has a good sense of humor. He definitely delights in throwing me off course to a totally different path. Thanks for sharing and for reading!
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