Unrealized Dreams

The summer is over and another academic year is underway at Toronto Baptist Seminary. When school wraps up for the summer it seems as though there is lots of time before everything starts up again in September, but the summer manages to slip by all too quickly. Still it is good to take a break from the routine and good to return to it in the fall. And this fall we are thankful to have a new group of students eager to study and learn.

Back in one of my summer posts I wrote about some "northern reflections" that I wanted to take up when I had the time to do so. I have already written about one of those reflections -- the fact that nothing stays the same forever. In this post I want to reflect on unfulfilled dreams. Everyone dreams about life and what it will be like. Sometimes those dreams actually become reality but many dreams never materialize. We think we know how things will work out but reality does not always conform to our expectations or desires.

Unrealized dreams can be a source of frustration and discouragement. They can leave us very disappointed and if left unchecked they can become a source of bitterness and cynicism. However, it need not be that way. Unrealized dreams can motivate us to make changes in our lives and move in a different direction. We do not have to sit and feel sorry for ourselves, we can take action to change our situation. When looked at in this light unrealized dreams can force us take stock of our lives and push us to change. And so it is that what initially seems like an obstacle can actually become strong motivation to move us forward in another direction.

Students who have come to seminary this fall have many dreams, goals and ambitions. Some will move ahead just as they have planned, others will not. Many think that they know how life will unfold for them in the future but only time will tell. Whatever happens they need to work hard, to pray, and to seek the counsel of others. And where they encounter twists and turns in the road of life they need to stop and re-evaluate their lives and then have the wisdom and strength to respond accordingly. Truth is, that life is rarely straight-forward and some of life's most interesting moments come when we are not quite sure what will happen next.