Would you rather day dream or take action?

On Dreaming

Most of my life, day and night, I have spent dreaming. One time when I was on a school trip, driving through Paris I saw a nude statue of a man sitting pensively with elbow on knee, chin on fist. Often I fancy myself to be quite the intellectual ponderer like him—sat in contemplative silence, continually wondering, watching the world go by and processing it all. The thing with this possibly brilliant man is that he only watches the world go by—I mean, he’s a statue, so I’m pretty sure his eyes don’t really work, but stick with me. He only watches. He doesn’t do anything. He has bicycles leant against his naked body and is pooped on by the over-flying bird.

Deep in thought. So focused. I admire his continued thinking. So passive, he does nothing in response. But here’s my trouble with him: he is unmoved. He is undisturbed by the life passing him by. How often have you found yourself being unmoved by your surroundings? Simply daydreaming like me? Are you living a passive life?

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As much as I love a good day dreaming session, I don’t want to stay stuck in my thoughts. I don’t want to be passive, or even passive-aggressively grumbling with irritation toward others, while unwilling to first change my own behavior, simply thinking about changing. First, I want to allow God to transform my heart, so my behaviour can change. If I’m going to spend my life thinking about the world around me, and dreaming about how it could be, I’d like to actually do something about it—not just think. However scary it is to make the first move, I want to actually do something, to stand upright to face the world, to wake it up with ripples of action!

I want to share my story of what God’s done in my life and I want to point people to Jesus. Afterall, when Jesus sent us out on the Great Commission, he called us to action. He didn’t call us to think about taking action.

Sticky Verse:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19

A Few Moments for Reflection:

Photo by olia danilevich from Pexels

What consumes your thoughts, what do you dream about? Ask God, is this from him? And does it please him for you to think about it?

What would you like to do? Ask God to show you the hopes and dreams in your heart. How would you like to respond or take action?

Sit with God for a moment and ask, “What is one step I could take today?” One for this week? One for this month? One for this year?

Actually Prayer:

LORD, you have put it on my heart to care about certain things and this is good. Show me practical ways that I can actually do something, to point people to you and to do something that means I can have an impact to glorify your name in this world today right where I am. Help me to be bold and stand up for your name, for justice, for love, for truth, for life. LORD, put people in my life who are like-minded so that we can encourage each other to stand up and move as you call us to do. Thank you that you hear my prayer. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

Leave me a comment. What is God stirring up in your heart and thoughts today? What might be preventing you from taking action?