Vision

Lately I've been chewing a lot about this thing most leaders like to make a big hoo-ha about...

This 'thing' called Vision.

When I first heard the term, I didn't quite understand what's the big deal about it. Vision, dream, ambition, aspiration - all these unnecessary mumbo-jumbo. To me, it's all the same. Perhaps, the word "vision" has a nicer ring to it. But the more I chew on it, the more I'm convinced that  spiritual vision is the lifeline of our spiritual growth.

I'm not here to talk about what is vision and go through all the theoretical explanation and definition. You can google that up I'm sure. Instead, I want to share my understanding and circumstances in relation to God's vision in my life.

In case you don't know, I work as a lecturer. What I do with the different groups of students every last class of each semester is to talk about this thing called "vision". The number one favourite question they always ask when I challenge them to draw a mind-map of their vision is, "... But sir, I don't know what I want to/can/should do...". When we talk about vision, many get stuck with this question.  

I believe for many of us, vision comes through small traces of dreams, experiences and passion that God has placed in our lives. Personally as I look back, I can see and testify that God has put certain experiences and passion in place to position me where I am today. And I'm not merely talking about the good experiences, but the bad ones as well. God is an expert in turning a useless looking quartz into a sharpened flint. More often than not, God gives us enough clues to know where to place our next step. But for many of us, we're not intentional enough to find those clues.

 

While looking back is important, essentially vision is about looking ahead. Being in a world saturated with all sorts of distraction, our spiritual sight have been impaired by the things around us causing many of us  to be short-sighted. Relationship, entertainment, and even work in itself can be distractions that impair our spiritual sight. Being a phelgmel, one question I constantly I ask myself from time to time is, "What in the world am I doing in Penang?" and I believe it's an important one. It does not just keep me aware of my present state, but also my purpose for the present and for what's ahead.

Why am I in college? Why am I in this relationship? Why am I hanging out with this group of rebels? Why am I working in this boring power plant? Is there something more?

I believe the more one asks such questions in the right spirit, not only will God reveal His vision but more than that, the individual will begin to allow God to saturate every area of his/her life and ultimately glorifying Him at His workplace, college, family, etc.. Recently, I read "Sun Stand Still" by Pastor Steven Furtick and there's line in that book that goes, "my vision defines the parameters that I live by". That line really bothered me for a while. Vision defines the parameters that I live by. Simply put, vision dictates our lifestyle. 

Rightly so.

At the end of the day, as believers, we have one crystal-clear vision - to glorify the King in everything that we do. Many ask the question "what is my vision" and expect such answer "full-time worker", "school teacher", "pastor", etc. We associate tangible position to spiritual vision. If that's the case, then we've missed the point. For me, sports is merely the medium through which that vision is magnified. For others, their workplace, college and so on. Building a sports complex in itself is a vision, but a physical one and it should birth forth from spiritual vision. Vision is about seeing God.

I begin this entry by saying that spiritual vision is the lifeline to spiritual growth. If we lose sight of God, we lose not just spiritual growth, we lose purpose and hope which will then lead to a natural death. Vision should not propel us to do just extraordinary feats like walking on water but it should propel us to walk on water toward Jesus. Each step taken in light of the vision should birth spiritual growth.

Vision comes from God and if we were to rephrase the quote above...

"God defines the parameters that I live by." 

Simply put, God dictates our lifestyle.

That's the core of any vision.

So, what is your vision? :)