Joseph dreamed two visions when he was a teen that his father and brothers would bow down to him one day. He would “reign over” them. His father rebuked him for the dreams and his brothers allowed their jealousy to turn to hatred (Gen. 37:5-11). Joseph had to live with these dreams for decades. How many times did he wonder, while he was a slave or in prison, how these dreams would be fulfilled?
What is impressive with Joseph is that he didn’t try to force their fulfillment. It was God’s dream for his life. God would bring it about in his own time. It wasn’t Joseph’s place to make it happen. God did fulfill it in an amazing and unbelievable way, a path that Joseph could never have designed (Gen. 39-45).
You need to have a dream for God. You need to ask and think big visions for the kingdom of God on earth (Eph. 3:20-21). You need to dream and plan for what you want your future to look like in a couple of decades. If you are a teen, like Joseph, your dream may involve a wonderful spouse, a family, and a job. But remember, God has a dream and purpose for your life too. Joseph reminds his brothers at the end of the story, that he is not “in the place of God” (Gen. 50:18). He stated his conviction that God used all of his setbacks and trials for good to save many lives (Gen. 50:20).
The challenge for us is to not force our dream on God’s dream! The challenge is for us to be surrendered in the peace and sovereignty of God. I am not saying we don’t work hard, but I am saying we don’t force our dream. Pray for God’s will to be done. If God shuts the door each time on your dream, maybe it is because it is not God’s dream for your life. Maybe you are chasing the wrong dream or have the wrong motives. Remember Moses’ dream was to free his people when he was forty. He started the revolution by killing an Egyptian, but he failed miserably and had to flee to the desert. God’s dream was for him to free his people when he was eighty after he had been humbled in the desert (Ex. 2-3).
Let’s follow the example of Joseph and seek to patiently align our dream with God’s dream. I can tell you this, God’s dream will always be centered on magnifying His glory and honor. It may involve setbacks, sorrows, and humiliation for us, but it is for the best because it is God’s dream!
