Day 253: Dreams Don't Matter

Ever since I was young, I've had many dreams of what I wanted for my future. Ones I specifically remember are being an inventor (that one didn't really work out at all), a really good sports player (kinda glad that one didn't happen..), a cartoonist (pretty much the only one that's stuck around), and a cool guitarist (still working on that one.) My imagination would run wild whenever I placed myself in"the future", doing what I wanted and getting a lot of respect for it. I'll admit, those moments come around every now and then (because that little kid inside me is still present at times), but I've learned quite a bit about dreams since then. Today was a reiteration of one of the most important lessons I've learned over the years: my dreams don't matter. I could imagine myself to be whatever I wanted; doesn't mean it's what I WILL be doing, right? My mom always wanted me to be a doctor, but frankly I couldn't put myself in a place like that; I mean sure, having a degree and wearing those white coats with that heartbeat checking thingy around my neck sounded like a cool thing, but I don't think that's what I've been called to do. Today, Andreas (one of the amazing guys that actually left today to be part of the creative team of Hillsong Stockholm in Sweden) gave a word of encouragement before chapel; he said that our dreams don't matter in the end. What matters is taking what's in our hands and seeing what God will do with it. I examine what I have, and this is it: instruments, computers, a video camera, and all kinds of other essentials. When I first came here, the last thing on my mind was being part of the things I've participated in (mainly production, TV, and kids). Now look at me. I'm being trained to not only master the areas of TV but also head the whole team next year. I'm working on video projects of various types for either ministries, other students, or for my personal entertainment. I'm serving all over church life, and not one of those areas (other than choir) involves music. I came to receive more on God's calling for my life and expand my knowledge on music, but instead I'm receiving tiny bits of God's calling and learning how to get artistically solid close-up shots of drums, guitars, and hands being raised during worship. It's interesting how your normal expectations of a new season can be completely blown out of the water, especially when God's at work. I don't know what's in store for me in the remainder of the semester, but one thing I know for sure: It's exactly what I need to do and where I need to be.
Don't let this little thought of mine make you think differently of your dreams; instead let it encourage you to make God a factor of your dreams. If that dream is something you feel God may have you use later on, then run with it. If not, work with what you do have, because we've seen how well that works out. Just think of David, Moses, Samson, and other persons of the Bible. All David had to kill Goliath was a sling and some rocks. All Moses had to stand before the pharaoh was a staff. All Samson had to kill hundreds of Philistines was the jawbone of a donkey. All the little boy had to give Jesus was 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. All Mary had to give to Jesus was her finest perfume. Yet in all these situations, God proved Himself high above all; He used the resources in each of these people's hands to do incredible things that are still talked about today, despite them being more than 2,000 years before our time. Don't underestimate what you have; you may see God use it in ways you've never thought of before. I'll leave you to think about it; who know, maybe you'll get something out of it if you ask God for some clarity.

God bless,
Steven