Wild Goose Chase
I have gone on a few wild goose chases. How about you?
A wild goose chase means a pursuit certain to fail.
We waste our time when we chase the impossible. Although a hopeless effort, we try anyway.
The earliest meaning of wild goose chase differs from today’s.
According to The Free Dictionary, “This idiom originally referred to a form of 16th-century horseracing.” It required riders “to follow a leader in a particular formation.” The horses mimicked a flock of geese in flight.
We love to watch wild geese in flight.
However, we will probably never be able to catch them.
Likewise, we love to dream big dreams.
Seemingly impossible dreams may be possible. More often, we must accept our limits. If we ignore reality, our goose is cooked.
A wild goose chase differs from a God-sized dream.
Both challenge us.
- A wild goose chase takes us nowhere.
- A God-sized dream leads us beyond our wildest imagination.
May God, who created the birds of the air, guide us in the dreams we chase.
“Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense” (Proverbs 12:11 NIV).
Thanks to Janna Babak for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
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7 thoughts on “Wild Goose Chase”
Diana says here that a wild goose chase is a pursuit certain to fail. It made me think that I’ve used the expression a bit differently.
To me, a wild goose chase means going in so many directions, nothing is accomplished. I guess that is the same as failure. But often when I start out on an errand that leads me in different directions, I don’t know that it won’t work out in the end. If after many tries I finally resolve a problem, I’ll say:
” I felt like I was on a wild goose chase, but it worked out in the end. Thanks be to God!”. Also, sometimes in the “chase”, God surprises us with something totally different than we thought we wanted, or the Holy Spirit nudges us to help someone, and so forth. So, I try to pray for guidance, and accept what seems like a wild goose chase as part of the journey!
Ann, thank you so much for the added perspective. I wish I had thought of that when I was writing. I love your conclusion that you “pray for guidance and accept what seems like a wild goose chase as part of the journey!” Blessings on your journey.
Great explanation, Diana. And I like Ann’s interpretation, too. I’ve been on many wild goose chases myself.
Thank you, Tracy. I love Ann’s interpretation too. I pray for God’s wisdom in all our pursuits.
With so much chasing, the goose may need a rest. 🙂
Amen to that, Beckham! Sounds like the voice of experience to me. I’ve been there and done that too. Blessings.
I love your explanation here, Diana, and your bringing up what will happen when our “chase” isn’t God-inspired. Blessings!