Please allow me to apologize for the play on words in the title of this week’s post. I couldn’t help myself.
Seriously, aside from the play on words, the ability to cast a vision for the year to come seems like an appropriate topic for the start of the New Year, doesn’t it?
The trouble is, the older I get, not only is my eyesight vision getting worse, so is my vision for the future.
No Longer 20-20 Vision
You see, when I was in college, I had razor-sharp vision. I could read a book from across the room. Likewise, I had no trouble seeing into the future, casting a vision of where my life would be 20 or even 30-years down the road.
Then something happened to my eyesight. I could no longer read a book unless it was in my lap. The doctor prescribed reading glasses. My vision for the future also seemed less clear. Instead of seeing myself nearing retirement, I could barely imagine what the next ten years would hold as I started my post-college career.
In the midst of my young career, my eyes got even worse. My ophthalmologist prescribed glasses with bifocal lenses. Then within a span of five years, I found myself wearing trifocal glasses. My eyes needed correction close up, nearby, and for distance. The indignity!
My vision for the future was also getting worse; it was a blur beyond three years.
So, you see the trend, don’t you? The worse my vision got, the worse my ability to vision got!
I Can’t See the Future
A year ago, my doctor kindly got me progressive lenses for my glasses, so I don’t have to suffer the indignity of wearing trifocals. They’re great. However, it turns out my vision for the future is still getting worse. It seems now I am not very clear about life much past the next year.
About the time I think I have my plans for the next year, all figured out something happens. Sometimes a door closes on an opportunity. Sometimes a new opportunity comes up that I was not expecting. I’m not very good at making plans several years out when I can’t see with clarity much beyond this year.
God Steered Paul
The apostle Paul experienced this same kind of closed-door/open door direction from God in his life (Acts 16:6-10). Paul was determined to spread the Good News throughout the Gentile world. He was in an area known as Galatia, and he wanted to go to Ephesus, but the Holy Spirit prevented him from going there. So, Paul went to a different city and then got a vision from God telling him to go to Macedonia.
God frustrated Paul’s plan by closing the door to Ephesus, but He opened the door for Paul to go to Macedonia. Later, when the timing was right, God allowed Paul to go to Ephesus.
What I’ve finally realized is that while I cannot see very far into the future, God can! God can see into the future in a way we cannot. God’s timing is perfect, and he knows where the greatest opportunities lie.
God Can See the Future
If God can see into my future, and I trust God, then I don’t need to see with certainty into my future. In fact, maybe it’s better that I don’t see that far into the future!
You see, if you would have told my 21-year old college graduate self that someday I would leave the business to pursue a life in ministry, I would have told you, you were nuts. Yet, years later, that is exactly what happened. I left the business world, entered seminary, and have devoted the rest of my life to ministry. And here I am focused, of all things, on people in the business world! I think God has an ironic sense of humor!
Or maybe, all those years in the business world were how God prepared me for this season of my life in ministry to businesspeople!
Four Important Vision Lessons
Over the years, I have learned four important lessons about my vision for the future compared to God’s vision for the future.
First, God doesn’t reveal more of the future than I can handle. When I was a new believer, and my faith was just developing, God would show me just a little of the future. As my faith has grown, God shows me a little more.
I’ve come to realize that God shows me just enough of the future for me to keep moving toward His plan, without me running away.
Second, God will close and open doors to keep me moving to the place He needs me to be.
Third, God’s timing is perfect. God knows just the right time for every step of faith into every new opportunity.
Fourth, I only need to trust God. I don’t need to see years into the future. I don’t need to understand every detail of God’s plan. I just need to trust Him!
So, while a part of me still wishes I had 20-20 vision to see into 2020 and beyond. I can relax and trust God knows the plan for my life and His plan is custom made for me!
Whatever door He closes, I will step away from. Whatever door He opens, I will walkthrough!
I am trusting God for His perfect vision for me in 2020. How about you?!
More Articles on Vision
I have written a few other articles about vision over the years. You can search for “vision” to find them, or you can check out the links below.
- #097: Is It Important to Align Our Life to God’s Vision For Us?
- #203: Terrifying Boyhood Adventure Results in Valuable Life Lessons
- #342: Are Vision Statements a Complete Waste of Time?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Are you trusting God’s vision for the next year? For your life?
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Category: Personal Development | Vision
