pdave.me

Usually, Monday is about closing out the documents and presentations connected to Sunday message at Kfirst. Like an old-school film room floor would be full of film clips that didn’t make it to the final edit of a movie, my notes are filled with statements and thoughts that never made it to the message.

And as I was going through that normal process, a statement caught my eye from my left-over thoughts.

Your dream will destroy you if your character can’t sustain it.

It really is a selah statement. Because, unfortunately, I’ve seen this first hand in ministry. I have watched it happen in people’s marriages. I’ve seen it pull apart families. Getting to a dream doesn’t matter if you can’t handle it. People have an idea of “what I need”, “where I need to get,” or “something I need to achieve” without thinking, “what character needs to grow IN me in order for me to steward (manage, handle) the dream that God has put in my heart.”

God isn’t honored by you achieving a dream as much as He’s honored by what is achieved in you. And that is called “character.”

This is what I hope was conveyed yesterday as we continued to look at the life of Joseph. Barely in his 20’s, he has immense influence and authority at his disposal in the home of the most powerful men of the region. And when faced with a compromising situation, his reply is stellar, “How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” (Genesis 39:9)

I love that.

Two sentences say everything you need to know about this 20-year-old. The essence of Joseph wasn’t his position with man but his position of his heart with God. He was a man of character before the position (and as you’ll learn about him) it was his character that continued to shine despite the tough seasons he’d face.

Dreams can destroy you if they are the sole goal. Dreams will rip you apart if you think attaining them is the only “win” in life. But from personal experience, there are times that God gave me dreams to go after, not because of what I needed to achieve, but because He wanted to achieve something in me. And the “win” was what the Holy Spirit accomplished in me and what I “arrived” at.

Don’t allow the dream to destroy you; let it change you. If God has giving you a vision for your life, marriage, family, vocation, etc., before you sign up for a class or quit your present job, would you start with Psalm 139 and some moments in solemn prayer. “Search my heart o God. Check my heart oh God. And change what you want to change in order that Your character will be on display within me.”

Love you all. Praying for you today.

BTW: If you want to develop your character, check out my friend David’s blog, harvesttimepartners.com because character creates opportunity.

Thanks for letting me ramble…