So if we know where we are going, we need to know how we are going to get there, right? Having a vision of where we are going without a plan for getting there would be like me looking at pictures of the Destin shoreline, but never getting in the car. Or maybe I get in the car, but forget to secure the room I’m staying in. That’s a plan — but it’s one that’s poorly thought out. Or maybe I want to go to Destin, but instead of doing it on my own, look for someone else who’s going and hope they ask me to join them, hanging my vision on someone else’s efforts.
As silly as all those scenarios sound - - we would NEVER plan a vaction like that — we can easily approach some of the most imortant things in life in a much more haphazard manner. We may envision a life filled with friends, yet fail to make room in our lives to connect with others. We may envision having a peaceful, ordered home, yet fail to cut out demands on our time that prevent that. We may evision ourselves content and satisfied in God, yet neglect to make time in our day to spend with Him and in His word.
Incredible realtionships, peaceful homes, and dynamic spiritual lives don’t just happen to by accident. They are the fruit of someone who committed to a vision and intentionly made choices to build that vision into their lives. Of course we can make plans that don’t work out — even the Bible says in Proverbs that , “A man’s heart prepares his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” When I see this I am reminded that there is wisdom in making plans and submitting them to the Lord for His use. He usually changes what I have planned in some way, but He also works through my plans, inspiring me and giving me creative solutions for my everyday life.
My dream for the women in my world is that they would make a plan to move toward the dreams and vsions God has birthed in their hearts. Don’t let the fact that the plans may change along the way scare you, and don’t let fear hold you back. Just make the first steps and keep your ears open to God’s voice — He will direct your steps.
4 Comments
I love this post! This is so true. I’ve also personally noticed in my life that sometimes I can let the “busyness” of all the little things in my every day life get in the way of my moving forward towards the BIG THINGS. Not that the little things don’t matter or don’t have to get done too, but what’s amazing is, If I really shift my focus to work on the “big things” the little things always seem to get done too. Maybe not in the “perfect” manner they would have if I had made them my main focus, but they get done nonetheless - and I end up with a win-win!
Some of this comes from my personality of not wanting to drop the ball on anything, I like to juggle and multitask and catch everything mid-air. So for me, charging after the BIG things in life is a total leap of faith - We serve a BIG GOD who wants to do Big Things in our lives, and I have to trust that as I take a leap of faith to charge after the big things - I know that He’s right there besides me and will help me and will fill in the gaps along the way.
I just love that verse in Proverbs. When I look back on my life, it is so apparent that when I truly submitted my plans to the Lord for His use, His plans were always SO much better than anything I could have planned for myself!
i am once again inspired by your vision…thank you for sharing this thought…i eagerly await future posts.
I just want to say I love you and pastor stoval. You both are so up lifting. You always have a spirital up lifting thing TO SAY TO US .