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

Use What You’ve Already Got

As soon as you speak your God-sized dream out loud, people will have helpful advice for you. “Here’s what worked for me,” they will say. Or perhaps, “Read this book to find the right way.” Maybe even, “Unless you do this, it’s not going to work.”

While well-intentioned, those remarks can begin to weigh on our hearts. We can start to question what we’re doing or how we’re pursuing our God-sized dream. “These are people I respect,” we tell ourselves, “so they must know what I’m supposed to do.”

This dilemma isn’t new for God-sized dreamers. All the way back in ancient Israel, we find a young shepherd boy who will one day be king struggling with the same thing. David has come to visit his brothers on the battle lines only to find that a giant on the side of the enemy is taunting the troops and mocking God. A dream is born in his heart—to defend the honor of his nation and faith.

David tells King Saul that he will fight Goliath, even though the mightiest men are standing back with knees knocking. Saul evaluates this young man and decides he doesn’t have what it takes to make this dream happen. So he does what so many people in our lives do when they look at us, too: he offers David his armor.

Initially, David accepts. After all, Saul is the king. His armor is the best! Surely this must be the way to accomplish the God-sized dream of taking down Goliath. But after trying what Saul says will work, David draws a different conclusion.

“I cannot go in these,” he says, “because I am not used to them” (1 Sam. 17:39 NIV). David lays down the armor and takes up what God has given him instead—a sling and some stones. What he already has seems the most unlikely choice for this God-sized dream, but it’s all he truly needs.

David has spent years training for this moment without even realizing it. Perhaps he sat under the stars in lonely fields asking God, “Why can’t I learn to be a soldier like my brothers? I want to be used by you, but I have no sword. I only have this sling and these stones. How can I ever bring you glory with those?”

And perhaps God smiled back from the heavens, knowing that the very things that seemed so ordinary to David would one day be exactly what he needed to bring extraordinary victory to God’s people.

What if David had listened to Saul? Perhaps he still would have won the battle. But it would have been the king’s armor that got the honor rather than the King of Kings. Listen to the people in your life. Know that they are offering what they have out of love and a desire to protect you. But in the end, go with what God gives you.

People may not understand. What you have in your hands or heart may seem small or even strange to them. But that’s exactly what creates the opportunity for God to do the unexpected. It sets the scene for giants to fall. For battles to be won. For God-sized dreams to come scandalously, miraculously true.

You will be given what you need to accomplish the divine purposes for your life. Nothing more and nothing less. Trust you have God’s very best.

Go Deeper

Read the whole story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:32-50. You may have heard it many times as a child. Now look at it through the eyes of a grown-up God-sized dreamer.

God, you are the source of unexpected victories. Thank you to the people in my life who offer me their armor. Please show me when this is from you and when I need to lay down those things because you have already given me what I need. Thank you for promising to equip me with exactly what it will take to accomplish your purposes. I trust you and believe you can use me in ways beyond what I can even imagine. Amen.

What’s one truth you want to remember?

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