Worth the Price

I am a dreamer. My day dreams when I was young were different from those of other children. Mine included elaborate stories that created imaginary worlds. I would think about those worlds for hours on end, only to continue the story the next day. As a teenager I loved to write and dreamed of writing a book. As a college student I dreamed of graduating with honors. While taking my Masters degree I dreamed of becoming a leader with strong management skills. During four years of deputation I dreamed of developing of discipling college and high school students. I dreamed of developing a small group’s ministry as well.

Those dreams along with countless others were never realized. And they all failed for the same reason. I was not willing to pay the price to see that dream fulfilled. It is possible that the God did not want me to see any of those dreams become a reality. Sometimes he does not allow us to pursue those dreams in our hearts because it is not the right time. But even if those dreams are not God’s will for our lives he still desires us to pursue them. The only thing that should keep us from pursuing those dreams is God closing the door.

God many times places dream in our hearts and challenges us to pursue them. But those dreams always come with a very high price. You must study while others are having fun in order to graduate with honors. You must exhibit strong discipline, self confidence, and develop your strengths in order to become a strong leader. You must study the Word of God intensely in order to truly disciple others. And most times when faced with the high price of our dreams we all quit.

God has placed in my heart a vision for what he wants to happen in the field of Australia. A vision for a ministry that takes new believers, and gradually develops them into spiritually mature disciples of Christ. I know that God desires for me to pursue this vision or “dream” that he has placed upon my heart. I also know that I will have to pay a very high price in order to see that dream realized.

I guess it all comes down to one question. Is seeing this dream realized worth the price I have to pay? And of course the answer to that question is a very strong yes! I have a long journey ahead of me as I pursue this dream of my heart. But one thing is for sure. By God’s grace I will pay whatever price needs to be paid in order to fulfill his vision for my ministry. That means I will probably endure years of pain, suffering, loneliness, discouragement, and frustration. But it also means that I will be able to see God take the dream he placed in my heart and make it a reality. And that is well worth ten to twenty years of suffering.