How to stick your dream out
Sometimes I look at what I’m trying to achieve and it feels impossible. After trying to make this blog successful for eight months or so, I don’t see any progress. This would perhaps be a sign to to just give up. But when I started this blog, I told God I would write two posts a week for one whole year. That is what I am going to do.
Even though I am not seeing any progress in this business, I am choosing to stick it out for the year, and see what God will do then.
It can be easy to give up and forget about a dream we have. It can be easy to see all the failures. But there is more than we see, there is what God sees. What if He’s waiting for us to trust Him COMPLETELY before blessing our dreams visibly. What if the long list of failures behind me is simply the start of something more, something beyond our wildest dreams.
What does God say about sticking it out?
God has a lot to say about determination. He wants to come alongside us and accomplish great things! But if we are always giving up so soon, how can He do this?
It’s a gift to see our dreams succeed
In Ecclesiastes 3:13 it says “That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” It is a gift from God that we find satisfaction in our toil (or endeavors). He wants to give us the gift of seeing our dreams take flight.
Our understanding is limited
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. Know Him in all your paths, and He will keep your ways straight.” Even when we don’t see how it can work out, He can. God has such a higher understanding than us, and is all knowing. Trusting in Him more than our statistics or growth could be an important step. Not to say He doesn’t want us to use our brains and learn about those stats!
Hard work reaps rewards
Proverbs 11:12 says “Those who work their land will have plenty to eat, but those who engage in empty pursuits have no sense.”
God will honour us for our hard work, it is not all in vain. Of course, this verse also prompts the question: is what we are doing an empty or full pursuit?
Don’t give up!
Galatians 6:9 encourages us “Let’s not get tired of doing good because in time, we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up.” Let’s keep pressing in to what God is calling us to! This is good work, and it is also important. Not giving up could be the difference between you starting a successful business and never quite making it.
How to know if it’s time to close the chapter
How do we know when it IS time to close the chapter on our dream? Does God want us to never give up on any of our dreams? I think that although there are many dreams that God longs for us to follow through with, there are also some that He simply used for a time.
So how do we know which it is?
I believe that if it is time to move on from something, God will let us know. If I am giving up on a dream of mine, and I don’t sense the LORD agreeing with me, then I usually presume that means I should persevere. But if I do sense that He is happy for me to move on then I do.
He is not a God of confusion, and if you are feeling confused about whether or not you should keep pursuing this dream, take that to Him in prayer. Even if it takes longer than we want for Him to answer our questions, He will answer.
Ways to keep hope in your dream
It can be hard to keep hoping in something that doesn’t seem to be bringing any fruit. Here are some ways you can keep hope in your dream.
- Write down you dream on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere you’ll see it. Every time you see that piece of paper, perhaps you’ll get that little bit of excitement again, and start dreaming further.
- Pray about your dream, and press into what more there is within this part of your heart.
- Create a Pinterest board for your dream. I have to admit that I love a bit of time on Pinterest. It’s a way to create a visual inspiration for this dream of yours. Find pins that reflect what you are trying to create (colours, vibes, aesthetics) and create a place you can go to for inspiration.
- Find some Bible verses about hope, dreams, and perseverance. Write these out, and try to meditate on them daily. The Word of God is no joke, and super powerful. Speaking Bible verses to yourself can truly change the way you think about a situation.
- Buy a plant and name it after your dream. As you grow your plant, think about how you are growing your dream too. (I know this one is super random, but it just came to me, and maybe it could be fun!)
- Remember why you wanted to follow this dream in the first place.
Closing word
As you keep hoping in this dream, remember that anything is possible with God. Also, keep in mind that it was normal people’s dreams that have changed the world so far. Yours can change the world too.
If you would like to learn more about writing or creative life with Jesus, feel free to browse more blog posts here , or contact me if you have any questions. You can also find me on YouTube at The Windy Wildflower, or the podcast at The Windy Wildflower Podcast. We talk about writing, songwriting, and being a Christian creative in all these places. I also have a free writing resource you can grab on this website here! Join me on the journey of learning to glorify God with our creativity and making dreams a reality.
Till next time friends,
Nika
