Vision: Life Reflection, History and Vision
Vision must be deep enough to be rooted in history.
-David Jeremiah
I would like to introduce you to 2 leaders who are very special to me.
My daughter, Anna Wilson, and my son, Will Smith. Anna and her husband, Nate, and three children live in South Bend, Indiana. Will lives in Cumming, Georgia with his wife, Kaitlin, and three children. I want you to meet them because, in simple terms, they sought God for a vision, and now they are living it boldly by faith!
How did they know what the vision of God was for their life?
Great question. However, before we discuss the answer, let’s recap the definition of vision we have been using these last few weeks.
Vision is an objective destination formed by inspiration, imagination, investigation and intentionality. Vision is resourced through the Word of God, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and the mind of Christ, along with God’s wisdom, guidance and provision. Vision becomes clearer as we walk in the Spirit to discern His will. Therefore, vision involves seeking, learning, waiting, watching, moving, advancing, and evolving until it reaches actuality and renewal.
Anna and Will were both active in church growing up, went to student camps, mission trips and were involved regularly in church ministry. And with this connection to a strong local church and family who prayed for them and practiced Deuteronomy 6, it was very natural for them to respond to the Holy Spirit’s drawing to Christ, turned from sin and, in repentance, and by faith, trusted Jesus to save them.
In addition to being a wife and mom, Anna is active in her local church, a leader in Bible Study Fellowship, and a personal trainer! She is a busy lady!! Anna’s involvement in ministry was sown into the fabric of her life as a child and throughout her young adult years as she grew spiritually from the ministries of the Word from her local church. Anna becoming a personal trainer was no accident. Anna has always been athletic, and played on many sports teams. After healing from an injury that required physical therapy, her interest gained focus and shifted to the physical training required to excel in athletics. So it was no surprise that she chose that path vocationally. The vision she is living out today is part of the work God has done in her past.
In addition to being a husband and father, Will serves full-time as the Creative Director at his church in Georgia. How in the world did that happen? As a child and a teen, Will was involved in church productions, music groups, school plays, and community theatre. His interest gained focus over the years, shifting from performance to production. I can even remember when a student pastor asked him to run a camera for the student ministry service. So, it was no surprise when he expressed an interest in using his interests to serve God through a local church. Will also had several leaders who took time to invest, mentor and teach him how to follow God personally and professionally. So, again, I am not surprised as Will continues to express and practice a heart of discipleship and genuine care for others. The vision he is living out today is part of the work God has done in his past!
I hope that statement sounds familiar to you because it is important to discover the vision God has for your life, your business, and even your church. The vision God has for you is somehow an outgrowth from your personal history. So how do you find it? It will take some focused time of thought, consideration and life reflection.
We see this in the life of Peter in Acts 10:1 - 35. In verses 1 - 9 we are introduced to Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile. In the verses that follow (v. 9 - 16), Peter receives a vision from God in which he sees “all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.” Peter is told to “slaughter and eat.” A few verses later, in Acts 10:17 - 23, the Bible tells us how God was at work to bring Cornelius and Peter together. Peter was pondering what his vision meant when Cornelius arrived. What occurs next is nothing short of an act of God. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit fell on these new believers. His vision and experience with Cornelius prepared him to testify to the council at Jerusalem that salvation had come to the Gentiles. Friend, you and I, as Gentiles should be grateful for this passage.
But don’t miss this part. In vs.19 the Bible tells us that after Peter’s vision, he was “reflecting” on the dream. That word “reflecting” is very important. It means “thinking seriously,” or “thinking intently.” I suspect Peter was thinking something like, “I am Jew. I am part of the chosen people. I can’t eat anything unclean but God is telling me to eat this unclean food. What does this mean?”
The best leaders stay in tune with their past, allowing them to see the connection between history and vision. Yes, vision is an objective destination, but vision is also clearly linked to our past. And one of the keys to finding the vision of God for our lives is for each of us to spend some time reflecting on who we are. Remember our definition of vision, especially the first phrase, vision is an objective destination formed by inspiration, imagination, investigation and intentionality.
As a leader, I suspect that you are seeking God for His vision for your life and your family. You may be in transition right now, looking for a fresh vision. Have you stopped to reflect on what God has done in your past?
Maybe you are a business person that needs a fresh look at your business. Or perhaps you are considering a job change. Before you make a jump to something else, I encourage you to stop and reflect. Would you spend some time thinking seriously and intently before you make a move? In order to find God’s vision for tomorrow, start by reflecting on the things God has done in your past.
Or perhaps you are a pastor or church staff member and find yourself facing transition. It may be that God is moving you on to something new, but before you make a move, would you stop, reflect and consider all that God has already done? God wants to do something through you but first He wants to do something in you. Vision travels a course and that course begins with prayer and reflection. Take some time to reflect before you act.
Life Reflection Exercise
To help you get started, here are a few questions to help you reflect. Spend a few minutes praying, thinking and answering these questions over the next few days. I encourage you to write down your thoughts and answers.
Personal Reflection
What are your personal interests and hobbies? How do you spend your personal time?
What early life experiences have impacted who you are today?
What are the things that motivate you? What would you consider to be your life priorities and values?
How do you see God working most powerfully and most often through you?
Family Reflection
Where do you see yourself and your family in 10 years?
Describe your relationship with your wife/husband, children and other family members.
Pastor Reflection
Describe your life’s calling. How did God call you into your role today, and how has that ministry evolved over time?
Who are the individuals that were instrumental in you hearing and answering God’s call to ministry? In what ways did they influence your calling?
How long have you been at your current church? How God did call you to serve this congregation?
I am praying God will speak to you today as you reflect on His work in your past and His vision for your future.
Pastors and Church Leaders,
If you would like to connect with me about how I could help you or your church walk through some of these questions in helping you define your personal, ministry or church vision, reach out to me at david@davidsmithministry.com. My schedule will be opening up soon to add one or two coaching relationships and an additional consulting relationship. I’d love to connect with you to help you envision what God has ahead for you, your family, and the ministry of your church to advance the kingdom of God in your community and around the world.
- David
Coming Next Month
When the next blog comes out in April, we’ll look at the importance of an accurate assessment of where you are today in order to understand the vision for tomorrow. I hope you will return in April as we continue on the course that vision travels.