What’s your dream? What’s your plan?

God gave Joseph a dream that one day he’d be in a high-profile leadership position. But when he finally arrived at Pharaoh’s palace, he didn’t walk in and announce, “God told me I was to be the boss round here!” No, he had to work for it! There was worldwide famine at the time, and Joseph gave Pharaoh a plan not only to survive it, but to prosper because of it. Notice what Pharaoh said about Joseph: “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” (v. 38 NIV). So what’s your dream? And what’s your plan? Your dream and your talent are important, but long-term success won’t happen without a plan. The Bible says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men” (Proverbs 18:16). Your talent may bring you to the attention of key people, but you’ll have to be able to answer the question “What’s your plan?” A plan takes your dreams and talents and maximizes them by bringing structure to the concept. It involves being committed to a budget; it means constantly working on specific goals and details. Joseph gave Pharaoh a specific plan with a time line: seven years. He told him, “This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine” (Genesis 41:36 NIV). So here’s what you need to do: write down your plan, which includes specific actions and deadlines to fulfill it. Will God bless your plan? Yes, but you must have the right plan in place before He can bless it.