Vision

This week I am writing about vision in my daily message. I’ve been reading the book Visioneering written by Andy Stanley. It is about vision of course. How does God speak to us and how do we respond? From the Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary – vision is experiences similar to dreams through which supernatural insight or awareness is given by revelation. But the difference between a dream and a vision is that dreams occur only during sleep, while visions can happen while a person is awake.

Andy Stanley wrote that vision weaves four things into the fabric of our daily experience. Four things that we need to drive us to accomplish the vision God lays before us. Today I wrote about the second item weaved into our lives through walking out the vision God gives us; motivation. Remembering the example I used from Andy’s book I wrote; filling dirt bags isn’t very motivating, unless your vision is to save a town from a flood. When there is a vision, motivation is weaved into the very fabric of the vision.

Many of the tough things we tackle in life is because we have a vision of accomplishing something. Staying in school when the course work is demanding takes motivation; but the vision of a degree is before us. Working extra jobs or long hours to make ends meet is grueling; but the vision of providing for our family or being able to buy our own home is before us. Vision motivates us. When we can see the light at the end of the tunnel; the vision being accomplished, we will do most anything.

John was motivated to endure hardships for the Gospel because he had a vision of serving God, to follow the testimony of Jesus, to be like Him.

Revelation 1:9 – I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Motivation is what keeps us going when we tackle a vision from God that seems impossible. A vision that seems too hard to face, but we are motivated to endure, to accomplish, to do the will of our heavenly Father.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way. How about some discussion on vision and how God uses that to motivate us as individual followers of Christ?