A couple months ago I read a blog post that stood out to me. It was centered around the idea that “A true leader preoccupies himself with the future.” I think very often it can be easy for leaders to get caught up with living in the present.
After all, there are many things that need to be accomplished in the here and now and if you don’t get them done then you’re likely to get behind. However, as leaders we’re called to see the bigger picture and then delegate the tasks of executing that picture to those who are on our team. Of course there will be times when you need to focus on the present, but it’s when we begin to dream for the future that others catch the vision and join us in bringing change.
I was reminded this past weekend that we should never stop dreaming by Pastor Tommy Reid. He really communicated the importance of dreaming commenting that “when you stop dreaming you die.” When we get stuck just trying to make it through each day or even worse only reminiscing about the past (what once was) then we begin to lose sight of what God is doing. Too often Christians think that if we dream we are being selfish and not fully surrendering to God, but the truth is that God has made us to dream. I think sometimes I try to avoid dreaming because I know God’s plans are usually far beyond what I could ever dream up myself, but that’s why God loves to speak to us. Sure, we can have selfish dreams too, but God wants us to partner with Him in our dreaming.
When Moses grew up in Egypt he had a dream to see the Israelites freed from slavery, but after committing murder he fled the country and stopped dreaming. The burning bush was God’s way of reawakening that dream and leading Moses back to the calling that God had put on his life. This theme runs throughout the Bible as we see people like Joseph, Abraham, and Joshua who were all dreamers.
When we dream with God we are preoccupying ourselves with the future. Sometimes dreaming comes in the form of new ideas or concepts and other times it’s as simple as wanting to see something that your ministry has been doing done a much better way. As you pray about what dreams God has for your campus and BASIC ministry and then begin to picture a perfect future you may see your group reaching heights you never thought possible before. When we act on dreams that God has called us to partner with Him in He blesses us with grace and favor to see them become a reality.
God has big plans and dreams for your campus and the students there! What dreams is He giving you for your ministry? I would encourage you to take some time over the summer to seek Him in prayer and dream with Him for this upcoming year.