When God’s Purpose Reshapes Your Dreams - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - January 22, 2026
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21, NIV).
Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to achieve it? Maybe it was staying up all night to buy hot-deal tickets for the biggest concert of the year. Perhaps it was finally losing the weight so that you could fit into your favorite jeans. Or maybe it was putting your head down, doing the hard work, and persevering in college for 8 years so you could achieve your lifelong dream of being a veterinarian. No matter the desire, all of these “wants” have something in common: pursuit.
If you want to buy tickets that go on sale at midnight, you have to be willing to stay up late. You might sacrifice a temporary sleep debt for the thrill of an event later. If you want to lose weight, you have to be willing to eat right and exercise. Even if it’s not your cup of tea, getting healthy doesn’t just happen and takes perseverance and dedication. If you want to become a successful veterinarian, you can’t achieve that goal without getting an education, passing specific tests, and getting thousands of clinical hours.
As human beings, we pursue “good dreams” all the time. We pursue a spouse, a friendship, a job, a house, you name it. But Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that even as hard as we work or plan, it’s the Lord’s purpose that will prevail. This isn’t permission to throw in the towel, give up on your dreams, or believe that God is an angry tyrant seeking to destroy your life. Instead, it’s an invitation to surrender the callings you love most deeply so that God’s purpose may be fulfilled in you all the more deeply. Beyond output, identity, or success, giving God those dreams doesn’t mean they won’t ever happen. But it does mean that you trust Him with the timing and outcome of those dreams.
This past week, I was wrestling with my dreams to become a traditionally published author. If you’ve followed my writing for any amount of time, you know that this is one of my deepest desires. But lately, a wise mentor reminded me not to forsake God’s purpose and calling for my life in pursuit of a book deal. Why? Because His plans for me as a person, not just a writer, are so much bigger than that.
With tears in my eyes, I realized she was right. In pursuit of this dream, perhaps I’ve made publishing my God. It didn’t start in vain. In fact, I feel called to authorship because I want to share Jesus’ truth, grace, and love with the world. But when the publishing industry, or weight loss videos, or jean size, or vet jobs start to take precedence over our relationship with Jesus, that’s a problem. Striving will always make us feel spiritual, but it will also leave us restless inside.
Before His public ministry began, Jesus spent years preparing for it. He knew that delay wasn’t a punishment, but preparation. And He stewarded that time well. He didn’t chase down closed doors. He didn’t force the other ones open. He held His calling with open hands, in complete surrender to the way in which God would fulfill those deepest dreams, desires, and plans.
No matter what you’re pursuing today, I’d encourage you to hold those dreams and plans with open hands. I know this is hard. Your heart will beat fast, and your hands might grow sweaty. But freedom comes in surrender. Then, ask yourself these questions:
- ·What am I really asking God for?
- Is this dream about obedience or identity?
- Am I willing to follow God even if the outcome looks different than what I’ve always dreamed?
These questions aren’t easy ones to wrestle with. I know because I’m constantly asking them as I surrender myself again and again to my God. But this is about allowing God to redefine success. It’s about holding our dreams open-handed, not because we’re forced, but because we know that He knows best. It’s learning to trust His timing and choosing faithfulness now, even in the unseen seasons. It’s living fully now, even here, not waiting to “arrive.”
Dear Jesus, today, I release my deepest dreams and desires to you. I know that you withhold no good thing from those who love and serve you, but sometimes, I grow weary and impatient. Help me release these things to you. To hold them with open hands, not out of force, but beautiful and humble surrender. Give me the courage to pursue these God-given dreams, but to know that the outcome ultimately rests with you. Help me to trust you when these dreams feel delayed or reshaped. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus. Amen.
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Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
