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

[WADonnelly]

I believe this is actually quite a complex idea as it sort of plays into free will. It is a question of whether we are free to dream our own dreams or whether we are given these dreams by God and so restricted. I think your interpretation is down to personal belief and for the author, this is that God gives us these dreams as he wants what is best for us but it is all up to us whether we follow or not.

[Karmon Kuhn]

I think that the author is suggesting that God provides strengths to guide us in our lives, and that he calls us to live up to that potential. But I also think, that we are limited to a single expression of those strengths. I may have misunderstood what the author was saying, but that's how I interpreted it.

[Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha]

I do not think the author contradicted himself by saying on the one hand that people should pursue their dreams and then saying on the other hand that these dreams were given by God. The truth, in my opinion, is that God is our source of inspiration and dreams. I do not think pursuing our parents' dreams always ends in failure. Several family businesses that have been operational for generations are still around because younger people in the family continued to run with the dream of the founders. They appropriated them and expanded them.

[Jennifer Aldo]

I don't think that the author has contradicted himself. To every one that God created is a special purpose. So the dreams you pursue is in line with your purpose. That's what I think the author means. Just as we are different, so are our dreams. Chasing our dreams is thus, fulfilling our purpose given by God, the giver of dreams.

I was also confused by this, but your explanation makes perfect sense. I think that God has given us the freedom and ability to dream, and he doesn't limit it's scale, but He still finds a way to nudge us towards His purpose for us. We eventually want it, because He designed it that way.

[Raluca_Mihaila]

When you follow your dreams it doesn't mean that you don't follow God's plan for you. I don't see any contradictions here, but I guess it depends how you define your relationship with God. I myself believe in free will.

[Chizioboli]

Not at all. He meant that God made us to be able to dream dreams. However, he gives us the dreams we see/dream. Like if you sleep, and get a vision, this dream/vision can only come from God. Your ability to dream was given to you by God, this, the author clearly did not contradict himself with his words

[Sarah Nichols 7]

I don’t necessarily see it as a contradiction. God gives us the desire to dream and He gives us free will. I do think He sometimes places certain dreams in our hearts when He creates us. But, we have the choice to pursue those dreams or not.

[yomide]

I agree, the author did contradict himself. But that will be if you look at the sentence litrally. Technically he is saying the same thing as every dream, aspirations, idea all come either from the evil side of our instinct or the good. Folllowing the later, we will see that our own dreams came from the good part of our instinct and that part consist of the aster, God of gods himself. So in short, I would say God created our own dreams for us.

[Abisolalawal]

The author did not contradict himself in my opinion. He was simply saying we all have dreams that God has given us and we should thereby trust God to live to it out and fulfil them.

[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.

[Parahiyo]

Fulfilling our dreams in life is simply fulfilling the purpose or intention that God has created us for. Like Jesus, His purpose as God planned was to die for our sins. Which Jesus did before he rose to heaven.

[John Ogada]

Not at all. God only gives you the dream but you are the one to persue them. Just like there are so many worms and grains out there but the birds must look for them, else they will sleep hungry.

[Sakura5]

Honestly, I was confused too at the beginning by this affirmation. But on second thought, in the Christian vision, it makes sense. God created us, as the author says, with our dreams in "our DNA", but he also gave us free will and freedom. Thus, the goal on Earth should be that of finding the right inspiration and fulfill the dream God created us with. Thanks to free will, you might also never find it, thus never fulfilling your dream/scope. I think in this way the apparent conflict is resolved.

[Hogwarts03]

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.

[Precious Naiti]

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.