Your dream or God’s plan

There was a time I longed to drive a car or fly a plane. But perish the hope, I can’t even drive a luggage trolley. Once at the airport, a man saw me and a trolley coming. He fled. We chased him down and hit him anyway. It sure doesn’t need a prophet to tell me I wasn’t meant to be an airline pilot or a bus driver.

Does God have any use for a woman who can’t even make round dosas but brings them out shaped like some strange maps? Or who frequently offers her husband burnt sacrifices? He does!

The call of some people in history seem to be more obvious, more definite. Thinking of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the prophets, the apostles and many more may make us feel they were very special. But then, we are all special to our heavenly Father. We are told that even the hairs on our heads are counted (Matt.10:30). How then can we imagine He hasn’t got a role marked out for each of us?

When God told the Israelites to make the tabernacle, though Bezaleel and Aholiab were named as leaders of the artisans, Moses said to the rest of the people, “All who are skillful among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded (Ex. 35:10). There were a great variety of works to be done, and a great number of people with different skills were required.

Today, God is in the act of building His kingdom. Each of us is needed to join in the work. So what is my role in this kingdom building? How do I find the slot I’m meant for? Some of us have found our niches, working happily. Others are still unsure. If one is unsure, the obvious thing to do is ask the Father. He is only too happy to show His will to His children.

However, given the fact that we are prone to be hard of hearing, prone to have our own dreams, it may help to re-look at a few pointers here in order to avoid pitfalls. 

Not my dream, but God’s plan. We may have our own wishes and desires. These may be so strong that we brainwash ourselves into believing they are God’s plan for us. So we need to say “Your will, not mine,” and truly mean it.

Thwarted dreams may be a gateway. Amy Carmichael, an Irish girl, was unhappy with her brown eyes and wanted to have blue eyes. She prayed hard for it, but her request was not granted. She grew up and became a missionary to India. She rescued many children sold as temple slaves, disguising herself as an Indian. Such a disguise would have been impossible if she had blue eyes.  

God gives the ability for the appointed task. Would a sensible government send its soldiers to war without weapons? Would someone not trained in surgery operate on a patient? God equips each person for the tasks they are meant to do.

So, let’s all serve faithfully in the roles assigned to us!