Is It Wrong to Chase Your Dreams?

If you’ve ever seen the movie Tangled, you can probably recall the amusing song “I’ve Got a Dream” that Rapunzel and several other characters sing about their personal aspirations. The song’s message is simple: Everyone has a dream, and every dream is special no matter how unconventional or unrealistic it is. It’s not unusual to hear or read similar messages from Christians. But even though many Christians emphasize the importance of having (and chasing) their dreams, God’s Word doesn’t.

Confessions of a Dream Chaser

It’s not surprising that children often say, “I want to be a _____ when I grow up.” After all, they’re taught to dream big from a very young age. Unfortunately, what typically accompanies the “dream big doctrine” is an overemphasis on self (which isn’t surprising because the culture places self above everything else). Children are told that their dreams won’t magically come true, so they have to make their dreams come true.

Based on personal experience, I know how exhausting dream chasing is. I’ve been a dream chaser for a long time, and the burden of constantly feeling like I’m not achieving enough is very heavy. I’ve mentioned my aspirations—especially my aspirations about becoming a famous author with a huge following and a long list of published books—in many posts on this blog. But at a recent small group meeting, I was reminded why chasing my dreams can feel so exhausting and burdensome.

A pastor at my church taught a lesson and then led a discussion about contentment with my small group. Our group talked about how easy it is to become discontented—even with blessings provided by God. We also talked about how important it is to recognize that the Lord—not our possessions or accomplishments—is our portion.

Whether the Lord makes me a famous author with a huge following and a long list of published books or not, He is my portion. I’m exactly where He wants me to be. Even if I don’t accomplish every single goal I have, I can find contentment in knowing His plans are so much better than mine.

Seeking God’s Favor First

The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. I sought Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your word. (Psalm 119:57-58 NASB1995)

I do think God gives His people specific passions for specific purposes (as I shared in a recent post). But these passions are gifts from Him, and He may use them in ways that we can’t fully understand as finite human beings. If we truly believe He is our portion, we’ll trust Him and follow Him wherever He leads us.

I don’t want to make a blanket statement like “It’s wrong to chase your dreams” or “It’s not wrong to chase your dreams.” I definitely think you should evaluate the dreams you’re chasing and why you’re chasing them. If you feel like you’ll never have enough or achieve enough, you might be chasing the wrong dreams for the wrong reasons. But if you feel content because you know the Lord is your portion no matter what you obtain or achieve, you might be chasing God’s very best for you.