Corinthians 3 Thursday: Vision Check-Up

I am so totally late writing the Corinthians 3 Thursday post this week. But...better late than never, I suppose.

In the three weeks previous we talked about where we are right now: values, strengths, weaknesses, spiritual gifts, and passion.

Now it's time to look to the future!

On rare occasions Josiah and I get to go on little drives his family calls "explores." They're awesome little day or weekend trips to somewhere...nowhere. We just go in whatever direction we want and see what fun things we can find.

This is a GREAT way to have fun every now and then...but it's not a great way to live your life.

That's what most of us do though, right? We are so intent on going that we just keep moving, taking no stock of where we are or where we're going?

She does not ponder the path of life;

her ways wander, and she does not know it.

Proverbs 5:6

Now, in all honesty, in context that's talking about avoiding the forbidden or adulterous woman. However, if we're not paying attention to where we're going, who knows where our feet may trod.

At the very least, it's clear here that God wants us to pay attention to where we're going, to keep our ways straight. And that, my friends, is why we're talking about vision today, or more accurately, we're talking about making a vision statement.

Leadership expert and author John C Maxwell says: "Vision leads the leader. It paints the target. It sparks and fuels the fire within. Show me a leader without vision, and I'll show you someone who isn't going anywhere" (from Christian Coaching by Gary Collins).

But maybe you don't consider yourself a leader. Does this apply to you? Absolutely. Whether you like it or not, everyone leads someone. It's far better to do so consciously and intentionally than haphazardly. Whom do you lead? Your children? Youth at church? Your coworkers? Subordinates?

Even if you can't think of one person you lead, you still need to be aware of one person: YOU. You need to know where you're going in order to get there successfully.

So what is a vision exactly?

"A vision is a clear picture of something we want to have exist in the future. It is a target we intend to reach....Vision pulls us forward. Once that vision clearly is in mind, we can deal with the practical strategy steps of getting where we want to go" (Gary Collins, Christian Coaching).

All well and good right? But how the heck do you go about formulating a STATEMENT OF VISION. It just sounds like something intimidating, doesn't it?

It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds...and of course, in Christian Coaching, we're given steps.

First things first, pray. As Christians, there's no point seeking vision for our lives without seeking direction from the Almighty first.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

and do not lean on your own understanding. 

In all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

The steps of a man are established by the Lord, 

when he delights in his way;

Psalm 37:23

Next, take your time. This is actually the hardest step for me. I like to just know. Once I start working on something, I just want to get it done. But you really can't rush this process. 

Now that we're clear on that, take a look inside. Consider values, passions, and gifts we talked about in the previous weeks, all of them will be at the foundation of your vision.

We also need to learn from visionary people, either in person or by reading. Let these people inspire you and serve as an example.

Finally, construct the vision statement and check it with the 4 Cs. Is it clear? Is it concise? Is it consistent with Scripture and who you are? Is it compelling (does it inspire and motivate you)?

To give you an idea of what it might look like, here's my vision statement:

I want to share God-given words that will change people’s hearts, draw them closer to Him, and give Him glory!

That's me. That's my perfect picture of the future. What does your perfect picture of your future look like? Where do you want to be?

Now, this whole vision thing comes with a warning: just completing a vision statement will not get you where you want to go. You're also going to need to set up goals and strategies for achieving your vision...and then work hard to get 'em done.

The vision won't stay alive on its own. Life gets in the way if we let it. It will take conscious effort to keep to your path, always looking to God for guidance, of course.

Now it's your turn. What's your vision?

Please comment or link below! And feel free to grab my button on the right, too!

If you're just now joining us, Corinthians 3 Thursdays are designed to help us find our pursue our individual callings based upon two Corinthians verses: 1 Corinthians 3:8-11 and  2 Corinthians 3:17-18. As  guide, we're using the book Christian Coaching by Gary Collins. For more information, you can visit this post or any of the earlier Corinthians 3 Thursday posts below:

Corinthians 3 Thursday Post 1: Clarifying Values
Corinthians 3 Thursday Post 2: Pursuing Passion
Corinthians 3 Thursday Post 3: Got Gifts?