How to Build a Dream for Your Life
By Rick Warren
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV)
As you look to God to do great things in your life, there are two facts you need to understand about the dreams he gives you.
First, no dream is built without the support of others. Just like a building needs support, your dream needs support. True success is never a one-man show. Anything significant you do in life will require help from others. God intentionally wired us to need each other so we will learn how to work together.
The Bible says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV).
Why can't you go after your dream by yourself? Here are three reasons:
- You don't know everything you need to know.
- You don't have enough time or energy to do everything by yourself.
- You don't have every talent you're going to need to accomplish your dream.
The bottom line is this: It takes a team to fulfill a dream.
Second, no dream is ever built without opposition. The moment you decide to go after the dream God gives you, someone will try to discourage you. The moment you say, "Let's do this," they’ll say, "Let's not!" Dream busters are literally everywhere. They are often resistant to change and feel it's their job to bring you down.
When Nehemiah made plans to rebuild Jerusalem, Sanballat and Tobiah, two critics of Nehemiah’s plan, “became very angry, because they didn't want anyone to help the people of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10 CEV). They mocked and ridiculed Nehemiah and the people’s desire to rebuild.
But Nehemiah didn’t spend much time responding to his critics—and you shouldn’t either. If all you did was respond to what other people think of you, you'd never get anything done. Instead, like Nehemiah, reply simply and move on. Nehemiah said, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding” (Nehemiah 2:20 NIV).
Remember, to fulfill a dream you need a team, and when you pursue a dream, you’ll always find opposition. When you understand these two facts about dream-building, you’ll be better equipped to fulfill God’s plan for your life.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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