“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop” (John 12:24).

Your heart’s deepest desires, those dreams you keep a secret for fear they might not come to pass, are like the grain of wheat Jesus described in John 12. The longer you hold onto that grain, the longer you’re delaying its growth. You needn’t clutch it in your fist, afraid to expose it; instead, you should release it into the hands of your loving Father, who will cause it to bear fruit.

There is a dying to self that occurs when you hand over your dreams and desires to the Lord. You’re giving Him complete ownership of your life and the things you hold most dear. You’re saying, “God, I trust that You are good and will do what’s absolutely best for me. Take me; I’m Yours.”

His promise is that when you take this step of faith, He will do above and beyond all you can think to ask or even imagine (see Eph. 3:20).

As C.S. Lewis put it, “[Don’t] settle for playing in mud puddles when the beauty and immensity of the ocean are just a few feet away.” In other words, don’t settle for a grain of wheat when God can turn that grain into a great harvest if you just give Him control.

When you do relinquish your control to the Father, He guarantees that He’ll do far more with your life than you could ever imagine.

Today, put your confidence, your dreams, and your desires into the hands of the loving Father.