God invites us to participate in the process of discovering and developing the dreams He has placed within our hearts. If you sense God stirring holy desires in you, consider walking through these four phases on the path to possibility.
Seek
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).
God gave you His capacity to dream. When He created you in His image, He placed within you a reflection of His own ability to imagine, create, and bring life from possibility. The inspiration, ability, and power to accomplish your unique purpose all originate with Him.
Take time to intentionally awaken the divine DNA God has placed inside you. Cultivate honest conversations with Him about your desires and longings. Bring those dreams into the light of Scripture and wise counsel, allowing God to confirm, refine, or redirect your steps. Speak truth over yourself daily: “I am becoming who God has created me to be.”
Shape
“Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, ESV).
Dreams are rarely fulfilled immediately. Delays are often God’s tools for building character, developing skills, and strengthening spiritual endurance. Our responsibility is faithfulness and obedience in the process; God’s responsibility is the fulfillment of the promise.
Spiritual growth, life experiences, and seasons of preparation all shape us for the future God has planned. Stay motivated to keep growing, keep learning, and keep trusting God’s timing. Purposeful goal setting can help you steward your time and gifts wisely as you move toward what God has placed before you.
Shine
“Though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials… so that the tested genuineness of your faith… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6–7, ESV).
What we believe about God matters deeply. Knowing His character anchors the soul in difficult seasons. We choose to believe that God is good, that He is sovereign, and that He loves us—before the heartbreak, before the trial, and before the unanswered questions. Settled faith is essential for both spiritual endurance and dream survival.
The road toward God’s dreams is often marked by disappointment and testing. In those moments, focus on Who is for you rather than what is against you. God uses challenges to refine our character and strengthen our faith, polishing us until we reflect His glory.
Serve
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10, ESV).
God weaves every experience of your life—both joyful and painful—into the person He designed you to be, uniquely equipped to meet a need in the world. This is ministry. As Ann Voskamp writes, “God didn’t put people in your path mostly for your plans and purposes—He put you there for theirs.”
If a dream is only about you, it didn’t come from God. God’s dreams always include service and sacrifice. To realign with His heart, you may need to step away from constant noise and seek His presence regularly. Choose the altar over applause. As you live a surrendered life (Romans 12:1–2), you will discover that God is able to do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
Today’s devotional was written by Julie Long
