Day 7: God in Real Life (Not Just Church)
- May 3
- 4 min read
Day 7: God in Your Vision and Dreams
Core Scripture: Proverbs 16:3 [NLT]
“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”
Most of us don’t question what we’re aiming for, because our goals feel reasonable, familiar, and aligned with what we’ve seen or experienced. What feels normal rarely gets examined, so we move forward with plans and ambitions without really asking where they came from or why they matter so much to us.
Some of what we’re aiming for has been shaped by what we’ve been exposed to over time, while other parts are influenced by what feels like progress or success. In some cases, comparison is quietly shaping what we want, even if we don’t admit it, and in other cases there’s a need to prove something, either to ourselves or to other people. These influences don’t always stand out clearly, but they still shape what we pursue and how strongly we pursue it.
As time passes, that influence becomes direction, not because we chose it carefully, but because we never questioned it. Once something becomes direction, our decisions start to align with it, our time and energy get invested into it, and our lives begin to be structured around it. What started as an idea gradually becomes something that defines our priorities, justifies our sacrifices, and shapes our daily choices.
This is where the weight of it becomes clear, because vision isn’t neutral. It doesn’t just sit in the background while life carries on. It actively shapes how we think, what we value, and how we respond. What we’re aiming for will eventually influence who we’re becoming. Scripture therefore poses a challenge. “Commit your actions to the Lord.” This isn’t just about asking God to bless what we’ve already decided. It’s about bringing what we’re building before Him before it starts to define us. It means being willing to question what we’re aiming for and being honest about what’s driving it, even when it feels right or familiar.
We know, this isn’t easy, especially when we’ve already invested time, effort, and identity into a certain direction. It’s often easier to keep going than to step back and reassess, because reassessment can expose misalignment. It can show us that something we thought was right has actually been shaped by pressure, comparison, or expectation rather than by God.
When we start involving God in this area, change may not be immediate, but it becomes clearer. We begin to see what’s driving our goals, not just what we’re doing to achieve them. We start to recognise where our direction has been influenced by things that can’t sustain us, and we become more deliberate about what we continue to pursue. This kind of clarity changes how we move forward, because it shifts our focus from activity to direction. It stops us from assuming that movement equals progress and leads us to question whether the path itself is right.
So what does this mean for us today?
It means we need to step back from what we’re doing and look honestly at where it’s taking us, because direction shapes outcomes in a way effort never can. It requires us to ask whether what we’re building our lives around has been shaped by God or by influences we haven’t fully examined.
God isn’t only concerned with how we act in our daily lives. He’s concerned with what our lives are moving towards, because that direction will shape who we become. If we don’t bring that before Him, we can end up committed to something that feels right but leads us somewhere we never intended to go.
The question is what’s currently shaping your direction? Where did it come from? What is driving it? And if you’re honest, is it shaping you in the right way? Because if your direction is not in line with why God is leading you, working harder won’t fix it. It will only take you further in the same direction. Real change doesn’t come from doing more on the same path. It comes from being willing to question whether the path is right.
Declarations
1. I choose to review and example what I’m aiming for and not assume it’s right.
2. I will not build my life around goals that haven’t been aligned with God.
3. I’m willing to adjust my direction, not just my effort.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to see what I’m building my life around. Show me where my vision has been shaped by things other than You. Give me the honesty to question what I’m pursuing and the willingness to realign where needed. Teach me to commit not just my actions, but my heart’s desire and direction to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflections
What are you currently building your life around? This helps you identify what’s shaping your direction.
Where did that vision come from? This reveals whether it was formed intentionally or absorbed over time.
Is what you’re pursuing shaping you in God's way? This helps you assess the real impact of your direction.
Application
Take time to write down one goal or direction you’re currently pursuing and be honest about why it matters to you.
Ask yourself where that desire came from and what’s driving it.
Then bring it to God and ask Him to show you whether it is aligned with Him and to reveal what He is shaping in your vision and dreams
Don’t rush this process, because hearing from the Lord affects everything else.
Comments