Pursuing Dreams with God

Each of us surely has dreams we hope to reach one day. One of them is getting a job that fits us, both in terms of skill and income.

Especially for those of you who have just finished college. Getting a job that matches your major feels like a dream come true.

There is a big dream you want to pursue. You want a job that matches your passion. But reality is not always that beautiful.

You have sent out countless CVs, gone through interview after interview, yet in the end you fail. What happens then?

Can my dream become a reality? Why is it so hard every time I try to get what I want? Why is my life so full of challenges?

Do not lose heart! There are things you can learn as you pursue your dreams. Come, let us learn how with God we can achieve our dreams.

Balance Idealism and Reality

Acts 18:3 And because they practiced the same trade, he stayed with them. They worked together, because they were both tentmakers.

The apostle Paul was a learned man, even educated under the leading Jewish figure of that time, Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). 

In other words, Paul had the qualifications to become a religious expert. Yet Paul still worked as a tentmaker. This was so that he would not be a burden to the congregation he led.

What can we learn from Paul? It is to be balanced in idealism and reality. Indeed, it is fine to look for work that matches your interests and talents, but do not limit yourself. For example, by applying for only one kind of job that you like.

Instead, send applications wherever there is an opportunity. There are many examples of people with a certain educational background who succeed in jobs that are completely different.

Because we never know where the path of life will lead us. There is more than one road to achieving dreams. So, do not close yourself off to any opportunity in your life. 

My child graduated from the faculty of communication studies and at first applied only to companies that matched his passion. As it turned out, he was accepted at one of the leading banks and had to learn again from scratch. Was that wrong? No. He received a decent salary along with other excellent benefits.

So, there is nothing wrong with trying a job that may not be your interest.

While waiting for a job, you can try to match a career to yourself. What do you want to achieve, what risks can you take, and what do you not want in a job.

Be Confident in the Abilities You Have

1 Samuel 17:49 Then David put his hand into his bag, took a stone from it, slung it, and struck the Philistine on the forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground.

You surely remember this heroic story. 

More than just David defeating Goliath, David showed confidence even though he was still young (and of course he also trusted in God). 

He came against Goliath, who was 6 cubits tall or 2.7 meters. His coat of armor weighed 5,000 shekels or 75 kg. He also carried a spear, whose shaft was like a weaver's beam. And the spearhead weighed 600 shekels or 9 kilograms! (1 Samuel 17:4-7)

And David faced him armed with a staff, a sling, and one small stone! (1 Samuel 17:40)

I remember when my eldest child was interviewing for a multimedia job. While waiting for his turn, he sent me a message. 

He said that he did not feel confident, because the people with him at that time were carrying the latest sophisticated cameras and expensive, high-quality laptops. They also looked skilled and experienced.

But I told him that he should not be confident because of the things he brought with him. 

He had to be more confident in his own ability. I also told him that those who brought such sophisticated and luxurious equipment were not necessarily the ones who would be accepted. 

I suggested that he step out of the room to pray, and ask God to help him.

At the end of the interview that day, my eldest advanced to the next stage, and in the final stage, he was the one accepted by the company!

Pray, Ask for God's Guidance

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be full

God very much wants to bless you. This verse says that God very much wants us to ask of Him so that we may receive, so that we may be filled with joy.

I remember when my eldest was looking for work, he had to wait for 3 months, even though at that time he had not yet graduated.

One day he came to me and sadly said that he was beginning to doubt whether he could achieve his small dream of working. Whether one day he could be successful like other people. We spent the night talking at length until he felt calm and relieved.

The next day while I was on my way to work, I prayed and asked the Lord. I asked that the Lord would grant my eldest's request so that he could achieve his first dream.

Two days later, two large companies both stated on the same day that he had passed the final stage of selection!

The same is true for you, you must pray, come to God with humility, and ask of Him. He will not refuse your request.

Achieving dreams with God is not impossible. You may have to go through many processes. But keep praying and asking of Him. God will surely show His way to you, slowly but surely. 

My eldest had once been torn between choosing a job that matched his interests or a job far from what interested him. But after asking for advice and then praying, he felt that God had shown him the best job. Everything depended on his decision. So he began to let go of his idealism and learn to be realistic. 

When you pray, ask for God's guidance, follow that guidance, and you will surely get the best job. One day, you will surely achieve your dream. May you succeed!

Related Articles:

• Pray with Full Confidence of Faith - Hebrews 10:19-22
• How to Make Yourself Stand Out
• Great Because You Are Trained: Is Your Talent Small? Think Again!
• It Feels Unpleasant, So You Disobey: How to Carry Out God's Word Without Picking and Choosing
• "I Believe in the Lord Jesus": Saying It Is Easy, But What Is the Proof?

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