God-Sized Dreams: A 30-Day Journey of Faith and CourageSample

When You Don’t Feel Worthy of Your Dream

The new day slips fingers of light around the curtains in my bedroom and taps me gently on the shoulder. In response, I pull the covers back over my head. I don’t want to face this day. I don’t want to do this dream. I don’t want to come out of my cave of protective pillows.

Scenes from the night before flash through my mind. How could I have done that? How could I have said that? And, most importantly, how could God ever want to use me again after I failed so miserably?

I can almost see the news ticker flashing across the ceiling: Christian acts like a fool and is fired forever by Jesus. I groan and turn over to dig deeper into the sheets. Have you ever had a moment like this? If you haven’t yet, you likely will.

God has this funny tendency. He chooses messy, broken people to do extraordinary, God-glorifying things.

An adulterer to lead his holy nation (David).

A prostitute in the lineage of the Messiah (Rahab).

An accomplice to murder to spread the gospel (Paul).

Even Peter, one of the disciples, denied Jesus three times on the night before he went to the cross. Can you imagine what Peter thought when he woke up the next day?

I don’t know how to explain this part of how God works. It’s so different than how we as humans would do it. We would choose the most perfect among us, the steadiest, the least risky. But God scandalously and stubbornly chooses people who are still in progress.

The real danger to your God-sized dream is not failure. God took care of that on the cross through Christ. No, the deepest threat to your God-sized dream is that you will believe the lie that you must be perfect. A God-sized dream isn’t something we’re qualified for—it’s something we’re called to in spite of ourselves.

In humility, we respond, “God, you and I both know I mess up sometimes. But I believe somehow you can use me anyway. I offer myself to you just as I am today. And I will again tomorrow. No matter what mistakes I make. No matter how many times I fall down. I will get back up and serve you forever.”

Until we are in heaven, we will not be perfect. Yes, we are to seek to be faithful because we love God. But he wants to use us even when we fall short.

I finally lift the covers off my head. As I do, I feel the weight of guilt slip away too. I breathe in forgiveness and mercies that are new every morning. I don’t know how this day will go. But I do know where I can always go when I need grace.

Are you feeling unworthy of your dream today? Do you wonder how God could even want you when he knows everything about you? Push aside those lies and doubts, the fears and failures, and take hold again of the One who will never let you go. Then welcome this day with courage, faith, and the belief that nothing you do (or don’t do) can overcome his love for you.

Go Deeper

Read Lamentations 3:21-23 as a reminder of how God's mercies are new every morning.

God, you know everything about me. My past, my present, and my future are ll in your sight. There are things I wish were different. I ask forgiveness for the ways I have fallen short, and I receive your grace. Thank you for your mercies that are new every morning and that you will keep making me more like Christ until the day I’m home with you forever. Amen.

What’s one truth you want to remember today?

What’s the next small step you’ll take?