disappointed dreams.

Life’s interesting, isn’t it? The things we plan don’t always happen. The life we dream doesn’t always come true. Growing up I had the typical plans for my life: go to college, get married, get my dream job, have kids, etc. Somewhere along the way, I think something has changed. Sure, I went to college. Check that one off the list. But what about the rest of those things I dreamed about? None of them are within my reach. To some degree, this disappoints me. Was there something wrong with my dreams? Are they ever going to come true?

I think the greatest thing I’m learning through my disappointed dreams is that God is in control. And, because of that, I’m convinced that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. It is so much easier to say that life isn’t going my way, that I need to do something about it. But if I truly believe that God is sovereign, completely in control of my life, then why do I doubt that my dreams will never come true? I’ve prayed that if my dreams aren’t going to happen then God should take away those desires in my heart. And He hasn’t. Not yet, anyway. And so, I’m convinced that God has a plan for my life. Somewhere down the road (not too far in the future if I have any say) those dreams are all going to come true. So really, my struggle is to trust in God, to follow His lead, to submit to His will. That’s so much easier said than done.

I think that God can use absolutely anything to speak to us, to get our attention. I was driving home last weekend with my country playlist on my iPod playing. It’s one I have listened to many times, but I think this particular time was the first time I have heard myself in one of the songs. Actually, I felt like I was listening to the song for the first time, understanding the lyrics in a whole new way. The song playing was “One Day You Will” by Lady Antebellum (one of my favorite bands!). Here are the lyrics:

You feel like you're falling backwards
Like you're slippin' through the cracks
Like no one would even notice
If you left this town and never came back
You walk outside and all you see is rain
You look inside and all you feel is pain
And you can't see it now

But down the road the sun is shining
In every cloud there's a silver lining
Just keep holding on
And every heartache makes you stronger
But it won't be much longer
You'll find love, you'll find peace
And the you you're meant to be
I know right now that's not the way you feel
But one day you will

You wake up every morning and ask yourself
What am I doing here anyway
With the weight of all those disappointments
Whispering in your ear
You're just barely hanging by a thread
You wanna scream but you're down to your last breath
And you don't know it yet

But down the road the sun is shining
In every cloud there's a silver lining
Just keep holding on
And every heartache makes you stronger
But it won't be much longer
You'll find love, you'll find peace
And the you you're meant to be
I know right now that's not the way you feel
But one day you will


Isn't life interesting? And isn't God amazing?