Monday, January 6, 2024
Without revelation people run wild, but one who follows divine instruction will be happy. Proverbs 29:18
What does the Bible say about vision and how should it move us to practices that are purposeful and repeatable?
Running Wild
It’s the beginning of a new year and the number one time of the year that people think about vision the most. People are planning their persotheirnal lives for the next year and businesses are sharing and instilling their vision for the new year with their employees. A company would not dare roll out a vision to a roomful of employees without careful consideration and planning. As Christians we should pray and seek God’s guidance for all plans and decisions we make in our lives. He desires for us to know His good plans for us and to reveal those plans to us.
Vision for our lives, for our churches, for our businesses, for our families, etc. – all vision in our lives should be based on God’s revelation. God reveals himself to us in our lives so we can know who he is. He is revealed by who he is and what he has done. When we know who God is, we have faith to trust him for a vision, and for the future. We see his faithfulness in who he is and what he has done. We can know that he will be faithful always.
Sometimes I love free time. It feels so good to have a chunk of time that is ours to do what we please with it. On the other hand, free time can be a dangerous thing. It is during the free moments that we can be most tempted to wander into the places we shouldn’t go, see the people we shouldn’t see, or do the things we shouldn’t do. We are not only in danger of making bad decisions but also simply wasting valuable time. For our lives, for leadership in ministry and our jobs, and for anything we do in life we need direction. When we align with God, stepping where the Holy Spirit steps, we see his revelation and ask for his vision for our lives in every area. When we don’t do this, we do one of two things: we make our own vision apart from God’s direction and try to make it work, or we run wild.
The Bible tells us that without revelation it’s a free for all. We go every direction but the right one, and as The Message puts it – we stumble all over ourselves. We go in circles and produce nothing good. We waste valuable time, and we end up frustrated, empty and lost. The Bible also tells us when we follow divine instruction, we will be happy. When we follow divine instruction we have a focus and a purpose.
The Bible tells us that one who follows divine instruction will be happy. When we are running wild, we may feel happy for a moment, but in our disarray, we may make horrible choices that might affect ourselves and the ones we love. We can find true joy in obedience to God. When we listen to him, we will be in His will, fulfilling the purpose that he has for us. This will bring peace, satisfaction, fulfillment and lasting contentment. We have the promises of a promise keeping God to lean on and the wisdom he gives when we seek him with our whole heart. Everything in our lives should be filtered through him. Every plan, dream, vision, and move. Take the time to pray about what his vision is for you. Ask him to reveal the steps you are to take. And most of all - surrender what you think his plan for your life should look like. Seek him. Trust him. Follow him. Life will still be hard at times but not as hard as would be if we just run wild day after day.
