Vision

Vision isn't just eyesight. It's heart-sight!

God's personal will for my life is made known to me by the vision He has put into my heart. But... My heart is deceitful and deceptively wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), so I have to be careful about following my heart. How in the world can I be sure what is God's vision for me and what isn't?

My first step is becoming familiar enough with Scripture that I know if the vision lines up with God's moral will (the "do's and don'ts" of the Bible) and God's principles (the unchangeable truths that are stated, implied or illustrated in the words of the Bible). There are a lot of things we may want to do with our lives, but is the vision agreeable to God's Holy Word?

My second step is to ask the question, "Does it honor God or does it honor me?" God never calls us to do anything that doesn't honor Him above all others (including myself). The apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

My last step in discerning God's vision for my life is to ensure that I'm not forsaking my God-given responsibilities for this new vision. In other words, God doesn't call me to something new that requires me to turn my back on what He has already called me to do. It doesn't mean that God doesn't bring new seasons of ministry in my life. It does mean that God won't give me a vision that requires me to neglect my duties as a father, husband or disciple of Christ.