What is your dream?
When you think of your athletic goals, what is the win? Breaking a record? Winning a championship? Making it to the next level?
We start playing sports because it looks cool and fun. We see professionals on TV competing at high levels and we also want to achieve something great. So, we set goals. We start working out on our own. We find ways to diet and rest so we get the most out of our bodies. We surround ourselves with people who will help us achieve our goals—competitive teammates, coaches who will work extra with us, or maybe even a personal trainer.
We’re having fun, but eventually, we want to win. We want to knock down that goal and set up a new one to keep pushing forward. There is nothing wrong with setting goals and having dreams.
But as a competitor who has bought in to Christ and His work in our hearts and through our lives, we should have more than dreams of success and goals in sport. Our goals and dreams in life should consist of much more than what we can achieve for ourselves.
In His last few hours before His arrest, Jesus was teaching His disciples one last time. In John 14:12, He said, “’Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.’”
Let that verse sink in. Jesus, the agent of God’s creation, the only begotten Son who did miracle after miracle, said we will do greater works than Him? What?!
It is because of that last bit of verse that says, “…because I am going to the Father.” Jesus was not going to leave us alone. Jesus followed up by saying we need to pray and keep His commandments:
“’And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.’” -John 14:16-17
This Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, resides in us when we accept Jesus’ gift of salvation and redemption. When that happens, God gives us spiritual gifts that we are to use for Him. If we are followers of Christ, God will use those gifts to lead others to Himself and save them in Jesus. This is the greater work we will do. So, this is where we should set our goals and dreams as Christians.
How do we harness those gifts for God’s glory?
Read the rest of the article to learn how to harness our gifts for God's glory.
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