"You have to pursue your own dreams, but you are given your dreams by the God". Has the author contradicted himself?

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I don't think the author has contradicted himself as he's made it clear that God is equal to no man and I believe that the statement references to human beings.

The main point of interest for the author is that you're not supposed to take someone else's dream and make it your own or fabricate your dream to fit anyone else's expectation.

If your dream and purpose that you really strive for, and know that deep down that is what you want, aligns with someone else's (maybe your parents' ) then I think it would be okay because at the end of it, you are following what you want.

So no, I don't think the author contradicted himself.

Dreaming what you want and being the person that you wish is the best thing a man can do. That dream resonating with someone else who is wishing well for you is not a bad thing, and that does not make your dream a burrowed one.

But if your dreams are given to you by God, then the scenario changes. How can you say that the dreams are all your when they are given by the God?

[Sushan Ekanayake]

That statement at first glance looks a bit contradictory. God gave us free will and it seems the statement is implying that God is the one who gives us dreams. Everyone is free to choose what path to take. I think the statement means that God gave us the ability to dream and we should utilize it and that is my interpretation of the statement. The author was definitely right when it comes to every human’s ability to dream.

Yes, each and everyone is free to dream and are able to dream. The ability is given to us by God (as per the author). So I am quite confused whether we have an ability to dream or we just utilize something that God gave us. It is like making a software by using a software. So the qualities of the initial software will be reflected in the new one as well. I think that happens to our dreams too, according to this concept of 'dreaming ability given by God'.

[Kelyn]

No, I don't think the author is contradicting himself. I don't think the author literally meant that God has "given" us dreams that we must follow. It's more like God presents us with the dreams he wants for us. The dreams God presents us with are ones he knows suit us, but free will means that we can choose those dreams or choose others on our own. God doesn't 'own' the dreams he gives us. As with any gift, you can use what you have been given... or not.

I agree. When a gift is given, the giver gives up its ownership. But that does not make that gift a making by the receiver. If the God has the dreams that are intended for us, that means to be a good person we have to accept them. So, if I am not wrong, having free will and dreaming on your own makes you go against or away from God, is that so?

Not at all. Remember, God is the one who gave us free will as well as those dreams. He chose them because they suit us in particular but left it up to us whether or not to accept the gift. That also doesn't mean he hasn't created others for us to discover that suit us as well, perhaps just a bit less so. He has created the 'perfect' dream for us, but we are free to choose another...or others. That doesn't mean we've turned our backs on him. Whichever we choose, he's still going to love and accept us either way.

[leaana]

I don't think the writer contradicts himself in any way. Which really, I believe, God gives us the ability to have our own identity and personality, as well as goals and dreams.I think he declares what he actually meant to say with his statement quite obviously.
God can send signals about your dreams that you can follow in any manner you want

[Mercy Osmond]

I don't think the author contradicted his concept. As a human, we are all born differently, even conjoin twins don't think or want the same thing. We are all born with different purposes which God has instilled in us. So it becomes our dream and we work towards achieving it.

[MarcellaM]

I agree with the author. God has plans for us and we, therefore, have to work hard on what we feel is our calling. What I understand by the author's words is that we shouldn't have to chase a different dream simply because we want to duplicate other people's lives.

[Sanju Lali]

Everyone is unique and so God gives everyone unique dream, which one has follow by treating it as one's own dream. This way the author does not contradict himself.

[Sarrikoziol]

Yes, the author contradicts himself. You cannot pursue "your own dreams" if the dreams were given to you by someone else let alone God. It has been taught over and over that God has a plan for each and everyone of us. To me, this means he gave you the path you are supposed to follow. He has given us "free will", or do we are told. However, all of rhe above contradicts itself. How can you pursue dreams of your own if God provided those dreams to you? The same can be said about the "free will" argument. How does one have free will if God created a plan and path for everyone? You can follow whatever you want in your choices, but they are not your own if they are given by someone else.

[Huini Hellen]

I think the author was reiterating the fact that our dreams are inspired by God and that we should pursue them because of the divine guidance that accompany it. This reminds me of the cliché, "what the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve".

[Francis Aderogbin]

Firstly, God has deposited potentials in us. But he won't come down to make us use them. We have to work it out ourselves. These potentials are to help us live our dreams which in the essence, is God's plan for us. Our dream is God's. But we have to be active in living it out. The author hasn't contradicted himself.

Secondly, we can make our parent's dream ours. This means you are building on what they have done. there is no crime in it and I believe it is perfectly ok. if we look at it deeply, there is no much new 'dream' as such. however, dreams are unique and complimentary.

[Eriny Youssef]

"God has created you to dream. He urges you to crave your own BIG dream. You were not created to merely carry out someone else’s. You were created to live a life of service, yes, but service can be weighty if we don’t unearth our own, unique, God-given vision." (Foreword)

The author wants his readers to break free from others' dreams and pursue their own dreams. And that have been the main purpose of writing this book, and as per the author that is the intent of God as well.

“The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger coincide.”

But on the other hand, as per the author, our dreams are not our own dreams but which are given to us by God.

Has the author contradicted his own concept?

At the same time, can't we make our parents' or our closest ones dreams as ours and pursue them? Will it lead us to failure always?

I don't see a contradiction here. It's the same concept as God knowing everything that will happen beforehand, yet it is according to our own will that those things happen. I think what he meant was that God puts in you specific gifts and interests and perceptions. It is you who decides what to do with them and whether or not to act on it.

[Peace Odii]

The two concepts are not contradictory. Our dreams are often given to us by God, even though we may not understand them. When we pursue our purposes and dreams, we are far likely to be pursuing what God intends. God is not so sovereign that He's a tyrant.

[Kaushiki Parihar]

No, I don’t think he contradicted himself. I consider that God is the one who gave us life, so he accepts us in every way. Likewise, our dream is god's dream. He wants us to pursue them cause he knows that is what will make us happy. God just doesn’t want us to forcefully pursue dreams of others which won't give happiness to anyone.
And, yes, of course, we can make our parents’ or our closest ones' dreams as ours and pursue them. It will not lead to failure at any cost if we had made that dream ours with our heart, mind, and soul and are working hard to achieve that dream from everyone's happiness.

[Elendu Clement]

God has allowed us all to dream big. Whether you are a believer or not you can pursue your dream. But we Christians have an advantage over non-believers. We pursue our dream praying that God also help us to carry on.

[Unique Ego]

"God has created you to dream. He urges you to crave your own BIG dream. You were not created to merely carry out someone else’s. You were created to live a life of service, yes, but service can be weighty if we don’t unearth our own, unique, God-given vision." (Foreword)

The author wants his readers to break free from others' dreams and pursue their own dreams. And that have been the main purpose of writing this book, and as per the author that is the intent of God as well.

“The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger coincide.”

But on the other hand, as per the author, our dreams are not our own dreams but which are given to us by God.

Has the author contradicted his own concept?

At the same time, can't we make our parents' or our closest ones dreams as ours and pursue them? Will it lead us to failure always?

The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger coincide.

I think the above quote provides sufficient clarity. If we have something we're passionate about that also brings some kind of solution to others, I think we've cracked the code to what God wants us to do. This will be different for most people. Also, I believe it is God that makes us desire the things that we do, which invariably means that he is the one who gives us our dreams. We now have to do our part by pursuing them.