Helen Keller was born blind and deaf, but when asked if she could imagine anything worse than not having sight. She replied “Yes, having sight, but no vision.”
You were designed by your Creator to solve a problem, and fulfillment in life comes through executing your Assignment. Someone said, “Sight is a function of the eyes, but vision is a function of the heart.” Eyesight lets you see what lies around you. But vision gives you insight into your role in God’s purposes. You were placed here to solve a problem, not create a problem. To accomplish your mission, you need laser-like concentration on your assignment. Knowing what you were created to do will assist you in knowing what to eliminate and ignore. You can be a “Jack of all trades—master of none, or the Jack of a single trade—master of ONE.”
Below are some definitions of Vision…
- Vision is a bridge from the past to the future.
- Vision is the eye of faith to see the invisible and the decisiveness to make it visible.
- Vision is the power that causes people to make huge sacrifices in order to become all they can become for God.
- “Vision is a clear mental image of a preferable future imparted by God to His chosen servants and is based upon an accurate understanding of God, self, and circumstances.”—George Barna
- Vision is adopting an action-plan that will enable you to move forward in your Christian life and ministry.
- Vision is the inward fire which enables you to boldly communicate to your peers what the future will be like.
- Vision is the dynamic that enables you to translate your faith and dreams into a new and personal walk with God.
- Vision is the God-given energy which will make you become a risk-taker.
Vision is different from ambition. Ambition benefits self, but vision benefits others. God-given vision always benefits other people. God-given vision is never self-promoting—it always promotes others. You were placed here to make a difference in the lives of others. The happiest people on earth are those who have lost themselves in a cause larger than themselves.
Visionaries look beyond what is to what can be. They are not analysts, managers, or space fillers. The person with vision sees the future before it happens, and works toward their goal.
Identifying and embracing your God-given assignment is the first step. You need to clarify your life purpose by writing it down. God told Habakkuk to “write the vision and make it plain” (Hab. 2:2). Take the needed time to ponder the questions listed below.
Answer these questions to unwrap the reason for your existence on planet earth.
- What causes you to SMILE?
- What causes you to CRY?
- Whose PAIN affects you?
- Whose TEARS move you?
- What do you LOVE?
- What are you hungry to HEAR ABOUT?
- What do you love to TALK ABOUT?
- What do you DO that brings you JOY?
- What do you do that BRINGS HAPPINESS to others?
- What do you DREAM about?
- What arouses your INDIGNATION?
- What INFURIATES you?
- What ENERGIZES you?
VISION STATEMENT. Now write a concise Vision Statement. This will greatly assist you by crystalizing in your own mind why you are on earth. Your vision statement tells you “why” you are here.
MISSION STATEMENT. Now you need a Mission Statement that spells out “how” to get to where you want to go. Planning is essential.
Noah had a Plan for the Ark.
Moses had a Plan for the Tabernacle.
Solomon had a Plan for the Temple.
And you need a plan to implement your vision. It is essential that you take time to plan your life. At the end of the day, you don’t get what you want, you get what you plan for. The quality of your preparation will determine the quality of your performance. Write down the “steps” to accomplish your goal. Assign a “time deadline” to each of these steps. Periodically you will need to refine and update your mission statement.
Your Assignment is significant. But regardless of God’s calling on your life, you have an assignment in your home. Husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren all have the privilege and opportunity to fulfill God’s blueprint in their home. I say this for those who are looking for fulfillment from an outside source. Your family is a primary assignment. You should have a vision for your family and a mission statement to match. So include family in this exercise.
