I have savored and valued imagination through the years. Growing up on the family farm, my imagination soared as I created stories, imaginary playmates or characters, and various settings. As I raised two daughters, I fostered as much imagination as I could through reading, playing with basic items re-imagined in new ways, and dreaming of stories and plans.

But when I saw this graphic, that “imagination will take you everywhere,” I paused. I see truth in it—imagination can most definitely take us everywhere—but it will not necessarily be healthy places. We can imagine so many unhealthy paths and devastating destinations. We can imagine and incorrectly interpret our current and past situations. Our imaginations can mislead us.

God created us in his image, which includes creativity. Imagination can lead to beauty, innovation, compassionate solutions, and generosity. It can also lead to dissatisfaction, dishonesty, pride, and rationalization. Imagination can take us to the “everywheres” we were never intended to step into, and those places can wreck our lives.

Appreciate the imagination God has given you, but use it in ways that honor and reflect him instead of inviting your imagination to separate you from him. Maybe we don’t need to go everywhere as much as we need to go somewhere—the right somewhere.