If you’re reading this, then there’s something in your being that says you were made for more! However, many of us delay or refuse the promises that God has for us simply because we choose fear over faith. The view that we see in the natural scares us out of investing what’s needed into the spiritual. Here is how to not give up on your dream!
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Why You May Give Up on Your Dream
The system put in place for society is school, work for 30 – 40 years, hope to retire with sufficient funds, and die. This doesn’t sound like much fun for anyone, but society complies. So much so, that if you mention a course outside of this, such as a dream or a purpose that God has called you to, then you may be perceived as “crazy”. Society has a way of snuffing out dreams directly and indirectly.
Doubt, fear, fatigue, a lack of results, and criticism are just few of the reasons many people give up on pursing their dreams.
Maybe you decided to pursue your dream anyway, but after weeks, months, years, you’re not seeing the results you thought you would. Fear, doubt, fatigue, etc. start to rear their ugly heads again.
It’s not complicated to understand why people give up on their dreams. If you’re reading this article still, then you might be running out of steam yourself. However, it also shows that you don’t want to give up on your dream!
The Risk When You Give Up on Your Dream
“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry our their dream.”
Les Brown
The problem with giving up is that God has put something special in each of us. When you deny his promise in your life, you deny the world of what God needed you to give.
It’s not just the world who is shortened by your lack of faith, it’s also you and your family! Think about it. If God puts something on your heart that the world is in need of – what does demand get met with? Customers! When you have something that someone needs, they are a customer of yours. Your product can vary on the scale of things to offer. It could be as simple as your conversation and positive attitude, to something extremely lucrative, such as a high-priced product or service.
When you deny God’s will for your life and, therefore, deny the world of what it needs, you deny yourself and your family gain – potentially, even monetary gain.
How to Not Give Up on Your Dream
1. Discipline in Your Faith
The bible continuously instructs us to have faith in God’s promises and to stay hopeful for the future. In fact, the bible is clear that faith is the only form of currency to use with God. It’s not our works, our appearance, or the rules we make for ourselves. Instead, it’s the simple discipline of having faith in God’s plan.
I use the word discipline because, like working out, it’s a skill that can only be strengthened when in use. You need to have strong faith to keep believing in God’s promise for you, regardless of what you currently see in the natural. Without strong faith, you’re likely to give up, turn around and walk back from where you came from versus chasing the dream that God has instilled in you.
2. Take Action
Luke 13:11 tells of the infirmed woman that Jesus heals. He calls to her, knowing she’s physically bent over, making it difficult, likely painful to move towards him. When she gets to him, he says, woman, though art loosed from thine infirmity.
This woman is a physical representation of faith. Regardless of what she saw in the natural when she looked into the mirror, she moved towards Jesus – with full confidence that he would heal her. And he did.
3. Have the Right Mindset
It makes me wonder what she was thinking as she was walking towards him. Do you think she was counting the number of steps left in front of her because the pain was so severe? Do you think she doubted him and his abilities – tempting her to turn around.
Also, I wonder what Satan was doing during this time? I’m sure he was fully prepared to do anything he could to slow her down and prevent her from reaching the ultimate healer.
Maybe his ploy included whispering in her ear all of the other times she’s attempted to be healed and it didn’t work. Perhaps he scared her with expectations of how life would change if she did get healed – maybe it was safer to stick with what she knew…
You must be aware of the thoughts in your head. If it helps, write them down. Then, evaluate what is helpful and good, and what is not.
4. Perseverance
It was during these steps, that she took towards her promise of being healed, that her faith was tested.
What are you walking towards right now? What is it that Jesus has in his hand to give to you when he’s able to touch you? Is there a promise of healing, restoration, a business, a dream job, a positive change in your life, relationship, etc.? The scenarios are endless when your God is king over everything!
This infirmed woman had one advantage over you and I today. That is that she could see Jesus. She had a physical reference to where she was and where he was. This isn’t our case. We can’t look ahead and estimate the number of steps until we “get there”. Instead, we just have to continuing taking one step at a time.
During our walk towards what God has for us, we have to stay active in our participation (do what is needed now and not procrastinate), stay consistent with our faith and action (apply discipline to do this even when we don’t feel like it) and keep our hope for the promised future (stay motivated!).
Set Yourself Up for Success in Pursuing Your Dream
Here are some additional resources you may find helpful in pursuing your dream:
