Our Dream VS. God's Dream

If you're like me, you've heard all about "the great American Dream" growing up. The great job, the big house, picket-white fence, poofy-cute-dog playing in the yard, two kids, nice cars, dream careers, nice clothes, beauty, popularity, private-education, and much more. More specifically, we've been taught to reach for the stars -- to strive to live *our* own personal dream -- to be a well known singer, artist, speaker, politician, world renown this-or-that. To do whatever it takes to make us happy. To "live it up" -- after-all we've been told, "we only live once." Attaining dreams like this is the epitome of the "good life" in this rich, blessed, piece of land we call the U.S. of A. 

I currently live in an area where many are, at least from the outside looking in, living this very dream. 

Our neighborhood isn't a rich neighborhood, but I'll venture on a limb to say that we live in a neighborhood where most of us live comfortably. Many of us have around two kids, decent jobs, etc. Up the road from us though, we have $650k dollar homes up to 3 million dollar homes. These people certainly are "living the American Dream." These homes are 7k+ square feet. One has its own football field. Some have multiple RV garages (plus the regular car garages). One that was for sale recently (not even two minutes away from us) was for sale for around 6 million dollars -- its guest house is as big and nicer than our house.

We have a tendency, no matter how seasoned in our walks with Christ we are, to look at all these "American Dreams" and automatically think, how incredibly "blessed" these people are. Ya know, they must be doing "something right" for God to bless them to that degree. We're also constantly bombarded with getting "the bigger and better" -- be it by ads, billboards, commercials, by seeing others' Facebook posts, you name it. And some churches preach the more we give, the more God will bless us in our finances and even material possessions (stop going to that church if you attend one).  So, when we see people have and lead glamorous lifestyles (especially other Christians), we think God must have something to do with it, right? We think since all good comes from God -- He must have something to do with the *stuff* people are "blessed" with. And surely, He smiles when His children attain such things? Now, before you claim you really don't think that way -- I guarantee your thinking (like mine) has been tainted to *some* degree on this. If you live in America -- no matter where you live, how you live, how you've been brought up, your thinking on this has been messed with.

Is this "American Dream," what God's Dream for our lives looks like though? Did He call us to live in the biggest and nicest house possible, live comfortably with our nice cars, and two kids -- to "live it up" -- to make a name for ourselves? I think every Christian would say a resounding "NO!" but have we really internalized that?

I remember several times thinking over the past several years and now (when I'd feel the most at ease and comfortable in our lives), "Is this type of life the life God really wants us to live?" I think God began stirring me in a way that I knew we were and are missing a big piece of our lives that we were/are to be doing. I didn't know what though, and I still don't. I just knew that true discipleship would call us out of our comfort zone, comfortable life, and lead us somewhere that would shake up our little lives. I still constantly and will continue to ponder if we're really living up to His standards and desires over our lives.

((For the record, I believe some of our "dreams" can be used for God's glory -- that is, if we allow them to. But for the most part, when trying to reach our "dreams," we tend to put God's aside or nowhere at all. With that said though, God's Dream for our lives should be sought first, not second or last. Certainly speaking to myself here, as I know I've been guilty of seeking after my own wants rather than His.))

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12)

Let's stop and examine Paul's words in the above scripture. He emphasized offering ourselves as holy and pleasing living *sacrifices* as true and proper worship; to not conform to the pattern of this world; to be transformed by renewing our minds -- and only then, will we be able to *test* and *approve* what God's pleasing and *perfect* will is for our lives. This is far from how most view God's will. Some of us think that whatever happens is God's will. We also think it's something that's easily discernible -- that it takes little work on our part. From this scripture alone though, Paul shows us that it's something far more. IT's something we can only find when we're truly and sacrificially obedient to God. When we give up what we want, and surrender to what He wants -- no matter how undesirable it is to our fleshly-beings. Living. Sacrifices. Big words, right? After hearing these words all my life -- I'm still trying to digest them.

---“What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?” asked a woman to her pastor.
Holding out a blank sheet of paper, the pastor replied, “It is to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet, and let God fill it in as He wills.”---

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

The American (or our own) dream wants us to store up treasures on earth. A big house. Nice cars. Yearly trips to Disney World. Nice things. It wants us to live "it up" and retire early. But streamed throughout scripture are words that go against every ounce of this type of "dream." God's Dream doesn't seem to consist of earthly treasures and things. We're to "store up treasures in heaven." What treasures lay in Heaven? Nothing tangible here on earth for sure -- which rules out our big houses. Nice cars. Career. Popularity. Nice brand name clothes. Nice jobs. Nice things. It rules all of that out. This is in part why I believe as Christians, our retirement is laid up in Heaven -- not on earth. Our work isn't done until we go "home."

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:6-9)

Look closely in the above verse -- "who desire to be rich..." 

"And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." (Luke  26:20)

Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the hungry. Blessed are the poor. Blessed are the weeping. Basically, blessed are the suffering. The needy.

Isn't it funny then, how we proclaim how "blessed" we are. We're blessed with our beautiful kids. Awesome spouses. Great house. Great cars. But these scriptures beg us to contemplate if, indeed, these are true blessings. The real deal. Don't get me wrong -- we should be *very* thankful for what we have. At least 75% of my prayer time is spent in thankfulness. But -- are we truly blessed according to biblical definition? Or are we fooling ourselves? Is a life of true living sacrifice also one with endless earthly treasure? Or are these two things like oil and water? Do they not mix? Can our earthly blessings be distractions away from what's most important?

When we examine the lives of many great men and women of the Bible, the apostles and the many more, we gain a unique (and quite intense) perspective on what living sacrifices really look like. And its all far from "the American Dream." Now, of course, in Bible times people couldn't live out the American Dream and whatnot, but even for *their* time, they weren't living an "earthly dream," period. They gave up their lives to follow Christ -- most gave up earthly treasures to follow Him -- they gave their all -- they went to uncomfortable/dangerous places to preach God's Word -- others were killed or almost killed honoring their dear Savior.

Does this mean we need to go seeking out physical persecution or discomfort to feel as though we're living sacrifices? Of course not. But for me, I just examine my life, our family's life, and others around us, and ponder if we're all *really getting it.* I'm sure you have too. I know I've gotten it wrong, despite genuinely trying to get it right. I yearn to get it right though. I yearn to please our Lord and Savior, whom I owe my all to. He paid the ultimate price though He was spotless and perfect. Yet, we find it hard to sacrifice eating out once a month to sponsor a child for just $30 a month. 

So I have to ask myself, am I really willing to go in the trenches for Christ? Am I willing to experience the lowest of lows? If it came down to it -- to sacrifice everything we have. Our comfortable possessions. Everything. Are we willing? I can't honestly answer that in the way I would like.

A missionary's wife was in our Bible study one week. She began opening up to our class. They're missionaries to a hostile Muslim country. When they were contemplating bringing children into this world, she admitted she was hesitant. After-all, how could she bring little ones into missionary living -- in a place where Christians are despised and hated? How could she? But she and her husband did as they felt it was God's desire over their lives, so they began having children. Their kids now go to school where they are and get rocks thrown at them and get called "stupid dog." Would you or I be willing to do that? I think of Abraham and Isaac when I hear stories like this. People like this incredible woman would get that story more than the rest of us. And most of us admit that the story of Abraham and Isaac is possibly one of the hardest to "get" in God's Word. Abraham was truly a living sacrifice, the real deal, and was literally willing to give his all -- even his own son, as God did His.

I'd like to toss the world's version of "dream" out the window, and begin seeking and living out God's Dream for my life. But first I've got to gain some perspective of what His dream may look like for me. One thing is for sure, His Dream is far from what our fleshly-desires want. It's far from what the world's version looks like. 

World's Dream -- enticing to our fleshly-desires. It conforms and shapes to the definition of success and patterns of this world. Looks big and glamorous. Easy. Without strife. Without hardship. Full of money. Pleasures. Full of material possessions. Full of earthly treasures.

"For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want." (Galatons 5:17)

God's Dream -- calls us out of our fleshly-desirable-comfort zones and into the uncomfortable. It has us sacrificing earthly possessions. It leads us into the low valleys. The storms. Calls us to repentance. Brokenness. Forgiveness. Servanthood. Love. Humility. Meekness. Witness. To true worship. Ultimately to be living sacrifices; leading lives to please, honor, glorify, and exemplify the ways of our Lord.

We have a long ways to go -- speaking for myself and my family. I want to lead a life that's pleasing to God. I yearn to be a living sacrifice for Him. To toss out what perceptions I have on living "my" dream, and to set my eyes on what He has in store for myself and my family. His ultimate dream for me, no matter how messy and sacrificial it may look. But boy -- do I/we have a long, long, long ways to go. A. Long. Ways.