What is Your Vision?

"If you don’t have a vision, then your reality will always be determined by other’s perceptions." -- Melanee Addison

The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Here are a couple of other translations of that verse.

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18 (NIV)

“When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” Proverbs 29:18 (NLT)

Vision is a big word in our world today. It is a word very common in the church and in business. People are drawn to people with vision. People who have a picture of what they want for their life, their company, their business, their country, etc. Right now we are trying to determine the vision of the plethora of candidates we have on both sides of the aisle for President of the United States. Everybody needs a vision to be successful in life.

Let’s take a closer look at the above verse. The King James rendering says that we “perish” without vision. That’s strong language... but not too strong because it is true. The NIV says vision brings restraint (another word would be discipline) to our lives. The New Living Translation says that vision is “divine guidance” and brings restraint to our lives or “keeps us from running wild.”

The primary purpose of the Scripture here is to communicate that we all need a personal revelation of God that we know leads to a personal relationship with Him leading us to know and keep the spiritual laws He has set in motion. Living outside those laws brings pain and destruction. If you don’t know Jesus Christ now is the time. Invite Him into your life today with His vision for your life and begin living by His laws designed to cause you to succeed in life.

Vision is also a sense of purpose, a knowing where you are headed and a picture of what it will look like when you arrive. Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychologist who survived the death camps of Nazi Germany. Frankl made a startling discovery about why some survived the horrible conditions and some did not.

He looked at several factors - health, vitality, family structure, intelligence, survival skills. Finally he concluded that none of these factors was primarily responsible. The single most significant factor, he realized, was a sense of future vision - the impelling conviction of those who were to survive that they had a mission to perform, some important work left to do.

Survivors of POW camps in Vietnam and elsewhere have reported similar experiences: a compelling, future-oriented vision is the primary force that kept many of them alive.

A vision, a sense of purpose beyond today is necessary for success in any venture in life. When you have no vision you are scattered, running in too many directions, instead of focused and disciplined. People who are poor financial manager have no vision for their lives so they spend all they make and then some and have little to show for it.

Here’s what I know. God has a vision for my life and your life. If we will simply ask Him to reveal it to us He will. It begins by accepting His vision that we be in right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Turn to Romans 10:9,10 today. Acknowledge Jesus’ power to save, repent of your sins, and invite Him into your life today. Then begin to open your heart to know what He wants for you in this life as you prepare for the life to come. But remember that vision without action is only a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to know and develop, with Your guidance, a vision for my life. Help me to understand that I have purpose in life and to live out that purpose with Your help. AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger