Do you have vision?
This week I am diving into this phrase – Vision gives pain a purpose.
This can help you in all areas of your life.
What does that phrase mean to you?
Let’s break it down. Vision is what you see. It is clarity of what you see, sense, and know. It’s important because it gives us direction and purpose in our lives.
Most of us understand pain—pain in losing someone or something we love, the pain associated with getting in shape, and even physical pain when we are hurt or sick. We know that if we want to be good athletes, we will experience pain from the gym.
Purpose is what God wants for our life.
The Bible says, without vision, my people perish; they cast off restraint.
Restraint helps us to stay on track. As a D(dominance) in the DISC profile, I like to be in charge and make decisions. Because of that, I need to understand my boundaries and have restraints. But we all need that. God’s Word is a light unto my path. It gives me a vision of where to go. It is a guide for all of us.
Vision and restraint can be painful. But we grab onto it by faith as we work towards our vision and purpose.
In James 1:6 – 8, we study,
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do”.
If you ask God something but don’t believe it or ask it in faith, you WILL be tossed to and fro. Don’t be double-minded and unstable. Being doubleminded means, you are drawn in two different directions. Don’t vacillate between belief and unbelief.
Lack of consistency in prayer life and reading the Word causes you to be unstable in ALL ways. And we’ve all been there.
I am encouraging people to get their kids into Arrows Christian Academy because there is vision there. Pray and fast until you hear God speak to you. Go before the Lord and ask Him what He wants you to do. Then take it to your spouse, and if you aren’t getting clarity, then ask your pastors and Christian leaders in your life. Ask them, “what do you think?”
If you still aren’t getting clarity – then serve someone else. Before God gives you your vision, He will often give you another person’s vision so that you can learn to serve others.
God will give vision to parents for their children. Their job is to help their children see. They should value that input, and we should value other people’s input. When you don’t see clearly, lean on others. Or wait if the Lord is saying to wait.
Sometimes we have to wait until all the components are put into place.
Further in Proverbs 29:13, we read,
“The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.“
God gives us ALL sight, and he works through others as well. Prophets will often give you a Word, which will stir this up in you.
But don’t be doubleminded.
Sometimes, how you react to being given vision can be part of your personality.
The DISC profiling is a great tool to help you understand yourself and others. S’s (STEADINESS) and C’s (CONSCIENTIOUSNESS) I ‘s (INFLUENCE) and D’s (DOMINANCE). But when it comes to decisions, God should always have a say in it – His will be done. God’s Vision helps us all see clearly and stay focused on what matters most. We often vacillate when we don’t have clear vision.
Be a vision-driven person, not money driven, not intellectually driven. Let God speak, and then you act. A budget should not dictate vision; a vision should dictate your budget.
God will reveal to you what season you are in and what He is giving you focus on. When you lose vision, you can cut corners that shouldn’t be cut and lose passion and positive movement. That’s why churches are being torn down or turned into other things – like breweries and art galleries – they lost vision.
Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Without vision and prophetic revelation, people perish (Proverbs 29:18). There will be direction given and a budget spoken where there is a revelation (from God). Let God direct your steps. If it’s God’s vision, He will also provide the provision.
Vision is the critical thing that will direct you in all seasons of your life.