Vision

Scott and I recently went out for dinner. Scott with his serious face looked at me and asked this question, "Where do you see us in 3 to 5 years?"

I found myself for once with the answer, "I don't know......"

I have always been one that likes challenges and I have goals. But it has bothered me because I am not sure what is next in my life.

George Barna: Vision for ministry is a reflection of what God wants to accomplish through you to build His kingdom.

Nobody can give you a vision for your life, but here is some thoughts that I came up with.........

1) Look within you.......What moves me??? What am I excited about???

Paul said, "I am compelled to preach" 1 Corinthians 9:16

Or today we may say "I am driven to preach" or whatever your passion may be..........

2) Look behind you......What has life taught me???

Experience provides us with wisdom......

The meaning of wisdom is clear enough—"the art of reaching one’s end by the use of the right means" Predominantly the "wisdom" thought of is that which comes through experience or old age.......

3) Look around you......

Rom 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

Paul spoke of those who worked with him. Finding your full destiny requires having the right people in your life. When the gifted offices work right and the saints are properly equipped, there are increased maturity and greater intimacy in our experience of God.

4) Look ahead of you......One of my favorite quotes - Helen Keller said, "The only thing that's worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."

The best is yet to be … you see, our God still has more up his sleeve for us. Our God always has something more for us to do, and it may well be that despite our feeling that our powers are diminishing, despite our sense that we are a little tired and run down, God may yet have our best years and our best work ahead of us......

"Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of faith is to see what we believe." St. Augustine

5) Look beside you......If your vision is not bigger than you, it's not of God. And the greater it is, the more resources it will require.

Cultural, personal, or circumstantial obstacles are bound to stand in the way of anyone who wants to become mature in Christ.

Without maturity we cannot:
Become all that God wants us to be.
Neither can we know all that the Lord wants us to understand.
Furthermore, we cannot do all that our heavenly Father wants us to accomplish.

6) Look above you......Jeremiah 23:16 "They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord"

We need to be People who do not lack direction, and lack discernment.......

We are "called according to His purpose," not according to the need, or the fact that the door is open, or that our talent will be appreciated and well rewarded.

Your vision must fulfill your God-ordained destiny, nothing else..........

So, I am asking myself, do I need to recognize the vision, resurrect my vision, or simply just refocus my vision............

William Carey, who is considered the father of modern missions, gave up comfort and fortune to go to India and introduce the gospel. One of his most memorable quotes, "Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God!"

But you can only say that with confidence when you know what God has called you to do.....When you know God has given you a vision for your life, you trust Him, even when you can't see any way to bring it to pass.......