Dreams

In 1 Chronicles 17, David has the desire to build a temple for God. It's a great, God-honoring idea. It seems such a good idea that Nathan the prophet tells David to go for it.

But then God tells Nathan to let David know the temple isn't his to build. David's son will build it - it will happen - but God has other things for David to do. Building the temple, however noble it may be, isn't David's call.

David responds with praise and thanks. He is grateful to God that his son will build the temple. He is grateful that God has honored him and his family, and that God has promised to keep his son on the throne.

I've had dreams taken away from me, too. A ministry that I really loved, taken away because God was preparing me for a different call. And God raised up awesome new people for that ministry. I should have been grateful. God was blessing the ministry with a great new team. He had good plans in store for me. I could have responded like David. But I didn't, not right away.

God doesn't just rip away our dreams for no reason. It's always for some greater purpose, even if we can't see it at the time. And we, like David, can respond with thanks and praise.