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Chasing Dreams and Ignoring Reality

It's time to end the rat-race. You can read all the books on entrepreneurship, sign up for the best one-on-one coaching, and even win the grant to kickstart your dream job, and still find yourself living in a fantasy world instead of the real world. 

The problem isn't with the dream, of course, the problem is that we are far more comfortable living in our dreams than in real life. Far too often our dreams of what could be take precedence over the reality of what is.  Dream for what could be some day, but don't miss out what God has called you to do now. @@Don't chase your dream while passing by the people and places God has called you to serve along the way.@@ 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 Paul writes, "But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

This advice would never be in the proposal of a bestselling book. Mind your own affirs? Live quietly? This bursts the bubble of our day-dreams that are constantly imagining our way out of our current situation. 

Go to work and do it well. 
Go home and take care of your family. 
Go to school and study hard and respect your classmates. 
Go into your neighborhood and get to know your neighbors; be friendly.

Minding your own business is difficult. We are rarely content with the callings that God has given us. We prefer to look for a different calling, one that is bigger and more influential. One that is more radical or risky.  @@Calling is not about chasing some mysterious dream job, it's about being faithful where God has placed you.@@ 

God has chosen you and placed you where you are. How can you use your gifts in that place in this moment? 

Paul in Colossians 3 writes, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." 

When God makes you a part of his family - a family that is holy and dearly loved - he's given you a place to be who he's called you to be. Live in your families and neighborhoods, churches and workplaces and clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. 

Do you want to discover your calling? It's rather simple. Live where God has placed you right now. Bear with each other where you are. Forgive the people around you. Love the people you work with and serve. Dream to do the work you've been assigned now while you continue to dream about the work that God has in store for you.