In the chase to achieve our dreams, we face unbearable pressure to an unfulfilled end; that’s why we need Christ. He works to exchange our temporary dreams of life for an eternal dream of glory. ~ Pastor Dave
Open: Have you ever experienced a time where something happened at “just the right moment” and “just the right way”? Share your story. How did you see God’s hand in that action?
Read: Genesis 46-50; Romans 8:18-30; Proverbs 16:9
Discuss:
1. Describe what “happily ever after” means to you. How do you see this mentality lived out in our culture? Do you think it’s merely wishful thinking, naïve optimism, or a faulty perspective? Why?
2. One would think that Joseph’s story ends with “happily ever after.” However, following the death of his father Jacob, his brothers bow before him one more time. How many times did they bow before him in the story? How did Joseph divert the attention from himself to God (Genesis 50:19)? How would you have reacted? How has God reshaped Joseph’s dreams from the beginning of the story?
3. How are our dreams an attempt to find “my place” in the world? How do you see this in our culture today? In what ways does this leave us with unbearable pressure? Have you ever experienced the “hamster wheel” by pursuing your dreams?
4. How does knowing that God is the hero of the story change the way you think about your own story? Why is it so hard to trust God with the details of your life?
5. Take a moment to read Romans 8:18-30. Describe the progression in Romans 8:29-30. How does God reshape our dreams to match His will? How does the Holy Spirit move us from merely asking God for support to surrendering to His plan? In what ways do you need to surrender your dreams to His plan?
Pray: Pray that you would willingly surrender as God reshapes your dreams to match His will; that in every dream and around every turn, He would remind you that His dream is so much greater than your dream for your life.
Memorize/Meditate: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
