This week’s talk was the third in the Into the Unknown series at Radius.  In this series, we’ve had a chance to look at how we face the unknowns in our lives.  This week’s talk looked at Israel’s encounters with God and their own creation of the golden calf.  If you missed this week’s talk you can catch it here. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Dream Big.

This was one of Amanda’s exhortations that stuck out to me.  Dream Big.  I couldn’t possibly.  I’m entirely too practical for that.  Keep my plans small, and then they’ll probably work out.  And that brings me to another point Amanda made, “Accept that you are not in control.”  A small dream or plan is something that I feel is in my control.  Just because I feel in control does not mean that I am.  It just gives me the illusion that I am.  And, I am quite content to live in that illusion.  However, what kind of growth am I going to have within that illusion?  I will have very little growth along with my very small dreams.  But it feels safe.  Maybe safe-ish?

What would it look like to dream big?  What is my big dream that has been in the periphery of my mind for decades?  That I would like to be a writer.  I seem to think I want to write for other people.  However, with that big dream, I’m wondering if it’s just my ego that wants that dream because a part of me wants the attention and recognition?  But most of me just wants to blend into the background and not draw attention to myself.  I especially don’t want to be criticized.  So, I have never even considered that writing is a possibility.  Besides, what do I possibly have to say that would be of interest to anyone?

As much as it pains me to write it, from what I know of God, He doesn’t want me to be silently invisible.  How can He do anything through me if I stay in the background? Ugh.  Am I afraid that I will fail?  Or am I more afraid that I will succeed?  Bingo.  Failure is quite familiar to me as much as I avoid it.  Success, in a big dream, that is scary.  Maybe because I don’t dream big so the whole thing is scary. 

Have I ignored the dream long enough that it has gone away?  No.  Maybe that should convict me that it is God’s plan for me?  It’s easier to say no to myself than no to God.  Who am I to say no to God?  Is it time for me to say to myself, “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him?” (Charles Stanley)  Apparently, because I am writing this and you are reading it.   Don’t be afraid to dream big. 

We encourage you if you missed any of this month’s Into the Unknown series, take some time in the next few days to watch by going to our message archives found here.