There is a difference between a calling, and a dream.
I believe God can merge the two: your dreams and his calling can be one and the same and often are, but it is not always the case.
Here is why I am tired of all of our so-called “DREAMS” and the constant Instagram messages to, “follow your dreams.”
One: Dreams are usually manufactured by us, they are usually representative of some sort of status or qualifier of our identity, or a specific destination, “writing a book, speaking for a TED talk, being a mom, or being a seven figure entrepreneur.”
Calling’s on the other hand are manufactured by GOD. There are primary and secondary callings. God is THE PRIMARY CALL. (We already have him if we are saved) We are called to God not to a specific vocation or thing
We have ONE primary calling, to be his, and to be image-bearers of Christ and to spread the gospel; If anyone would come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me (Luke 9:23).” The call to God is the ultimate call.
Also, the call to God will fit into the first and second commandments and with scripture: Love God, and Love our neighbors.
Then there are, “secondary callings,” but once again I don’t believe that God is limited to vocation.
Don’t limit your CALLING to A SPECIFIC JOB, for the scope of your calling is so much larger than that.
Your calling is from God and has been placed within you.
The elusive, “dreams” that we are chasing, need to be inline with his call. Chase God, first, and his desires will soon align with your desires.
Two: You are subject to his grace through your dreams and callings.
“It is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Phil. 2:13).”
Three: Your calling is not a destination like a dream can be.
It is the JOURNEY, and how you go about living-out your calling every day.
The destination friends is heaven
Four: When we answer the, “call” from the Lord, we respond with asking Jesus into our hearts. Then we are counted as one of the elect. If our response is rooted, then we continue on merrily in obedience, and faithfulness. We humbly submit our lives over and over again to him, in faithfulness. Then with our priorities in check, we begin to see a mirror in each one of us. God’s will meets the desires of our hearts. Our dreams, and his call come to a meeting point. Then, I believe that some of us heed a specific vocational, or service-oriented mission. In these specific callings, our wants become paired with his and we are met with constant affirmation from the Holy Spirit.
Then when we are met with hard-times, we remember where our call came from. It is only in the affirming of his call that then we can PRESS on when things get tough. We can re-visit that moment where God aligned his heart with ours. Where we began to do his will here on earth. It is a type of laying down one’s life in service, like a disciple to leave it all behind and pursue Christ. Our primary call is to be called his, our secondary call is to become more like him as we pursue whatever our hands find to do.
I think many times our dreams are born out of control. We want to control our destiny’s.
Yet, calls are born out of surrender, all of a sudden we are surrendering our wants and desires for something bigger: a life spent in the pursuit of Christ.
In pursuit of God you will find your calling, in pursuit of your dreams you will not find God
