In his book, “All Things New”, author John Eldredge writes, “Where we take our fantasies is a helpful way to know what we are doing with our Kingdom heart”. Which begs the question, “What is it about which you are fantasizing?” Said another way, when you daydream, about what are you dreaming? We go in the direction of the things about which we think. Indeed, we grow in the direction of the things about which we think.
Our fantasies and daydreams reveal the deepest desires of our heart. Far from fancy or whimsy, and regardless of their implausibility, fantasies and daydreams reveal what we would be if we were God. What are your fantasies and daydreams revealing about you? Are they revealing a God-focused, others-centered disciple? Or are they revealing a prideful and self-centered individual?
When I was a younger and far more foolish man, my fantasies and daydreams were all about becoming the next Neal Peart. For the uninitiated, Mr. Peart is almost unanimously regarded as one of, if not the, greatest rock drummer in history. Neal also wrote all the lyrics for his band (Rush). As a writer and drummer, I idolized him, although I cringe at the use of that word today. It was all I wanted to be. My fantasies and daydreams (as my school teachers would attest!) were all about being the next great rock drummer. I wanted the lifestyle, the accolades, and everything that came with it. Playing the drums and writing lyrics was what I did with all my spare time.
Things didn’t work out the way I planned, and I am so thankful this is true. I honestly believe I’d have been dead before I reached thirty years of age had I continued on that path. While my aspirations were in the pursuit of drumming, I had such an emptiness in my soul. I spent my days in massive depression. Spiritually and mentally, things were very dark. While I had placed my faith in Christ at a young age and still professed my Christianity, my fantasies and daydreams revealed what I truly was: prideful, self-centered, pleasure-seeking, and focused on everything but God. For me, it took nerve damage in my elbow for God to get my attention and start me on a long, difficult, and costly journey home. I wouldn’t wish my path on anyone. Some have had it worse, but you wouldn’t have been able to convince me of this when I was at my lowest. Almost every dream, relationship, and accomplishment I had clung to were taken from me.
I couldn’t be more thankful my fantasies and daydreams are different now. My deepest desire is to live my life wholly devoted to Christ and to instruct and encourage others to do the same. When I dream now, it’s about things like building an army of 100,000 true disciples to shine the light and love of Jesus into the darkest places on earth. I dream of writing words to build up and encourage readers who in turn will be inspired to give all they are to Jesus.
But that’s my story. What’s yours? Are your fantasies and daydreams still on things not of the Kingdom? Let me encourage you to not deceive yourself. You can call yourself a Christian. You can pledge your devotion to God. Your fantasies and daydreams tell the real story. What is the story they are telling about you? Time is running out, and we have a Kingdom to build. It’s time to put away the fantasies and daydreams not worthy of accomplishing the mission of Christ. It’s time to turn them into new dreams and realities honoring to our King. Don’t wait for a wake-up call. Don’t wait until pain and regret break you. You can change your fantasies and dreams. Why not do it now?