One of the worst things we can do with our efforts and emotions is to place them toward something that just isn’t going to happen. Also, one of the worst things we can do is to refrain from placing our efforts and emotions toward something that seems impossible. The reality of life is that at some point, if we are trying to live a full life, we will spend our efforts and emotions in both of these ways and at the end of those attempts we will be spent, tired, frustrated, discouraged. To not do so, at some point and in some way, is to live in fear or to live with regret. For us not to try the impossible is to guarantee we will miss the incredible. (I know those aren't my original word's but I read them somewhere and they stuck)
Here’s the deal, we all have dreams that are bigger than our abilities and we all have abilities that are bigger than our dreams. What I am starting to see is that the sooner I get my dreams lined up with my abilities, the sooner I will have a life that is full of purpose and accomplishment and hope and amazement and usefulness and contentment.
In the life of a follower of Jesus, this idea is even more true. The bible teaches that each of us have been given a gift (an ability) to do something that is essential and necessary for the whole "Church". (Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12). If we do not use our gifts the Church will move forward because Jesus said that not even the gates of Hell could stop it, but I believe when a believer doesn’t use their gift for the Church, the Church moves forward with a limp. On the flip side I also strongly believe you can shortchange the "Church" and yourself by serving outside of your giftedness. Paul is inspired to write in Romans 12:6-8 to use our God given gifts according to the grace given to us. My own experience has shown me that its usually the gap between our gifts and our dreams that immobilize us. I have been trying to shorten this gap but it sometimes seems hopeless. I don't know if my dreams are too high or my gifts are not the ones I believe I have been given.
As I am having this battle in my own life – my dreams and abilities in conflict – I “just so happened” to be reading through 1 Corinthians… specifically chapters 12 to 14 when the following verses jumped out to me with very specific meaning:
I Corinthians 13:8
Love never fails…
I Corinthians 14:33
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace…
I Corinthians 12:22
The parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable…
As these parts of these verses came together in my mind, in regards to this struggle between my dreams and my abilities, I began to see more clearly that the longer I keep these two things in conflict the longer I will stay frustrated and the slower the Church moves toward its purpose. Conversely, I began to see that the sooner I embrace God’s love for me (that never ends) in what He has given me the ability to do (something that is indispensable), I will live at peace and on purpose.
You see, my experience in life and in ministry has shown me that when I use my God given gifts I experience the most fun and I am the most effective. But, when I found myself trying to do things that I am not truly gifted at, the outcome would be at best, providing a service. The former producing energy and excitement and results, where as the latter just produced frustration and questions.
Last year for Christmas I asked for and received the movie “The Rookie” (staring Dennis Quaid – a true story about a baseball player named Jim Morris) Since the first time I watched the video a line from that movie has really bounced in and around my head. It was in an conversation between Jim’s dad and Jim as Jim contemplated trying to do something great but seemingly impossible… here’s the line… “Its ok to do what you want to do until its time to do what you were meant to do.”
Now, I know that line is not in the bible and is in no way absolute truth… but… I think it does carry the spirit of what I’m talking about here. We all want a life that is full and vibrant and meaningful. We all have dreams and how if we could just do “this or that” our life would be all those things. We all should pursue our dreams with great passion, great zeal, great vigor… but… as we grow and as our experiences begin to show us that our dreams are in conflict with our gifts, we need to take time to rest and seek the Lord and begin to do what He’s gifted us to do.
Whatever you and I are “meant to do” will produce more joy and more excitement and be more challenging than anything we simply “want to do”. Why? Well, because our biggest dream for ourselves is so much lower than what God wants us to experience.
Isaiah 55: 8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Dreaming big is trusting God with the gifts He has given us and really living life is doing exactly what He created us to do. It's in this place that “want to do” and “meant to do” become the same thing and nothing will ever be better than that… and its only at this crossroad that we will truly be able to try the impossible and guarantee we will not miss the incredible.
So Lord help me... please make my dreams align with your desires. It is then I will know I am living, walking, serving and sharing out of the giftedness you gave me through your grace.
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