Write the vision down!
January 27, 2007
I woke up this morning with the verse from Habbakuk in mind, it’s the one about writing the vision down on stone tablets.
As i live in the 21st century i’m not going to go out and find some stone slabs, and a suitable implement to carve out a vision, however realising that it takes effort to erase something after you ‘carve it in stone’ was a useful thing to reflect on.
Can i ask you to do something today? Would you do me the favour of getting some paper and a pen (not a pencil!!), and writing down the things you’re passionate about and would like from life.
It might seem odd that some stranger from the UK should be asking you to do this, but i think it’s a really important thing to do. So often when we make decisions in life we can ‘um’ and ‘er’, not knowing what God calls us too. Equally we can sell ourselves short, allowing human limitations to restrict what God can do in us.
You might write something like this to begin with: ‘I would like to preach with signs and wonders following’. Even if it seems an impossible dream, not least because you may have a fear of preaching, write it down anyway. Or you might write ‘I want to bring relief to the emotional pain orphans in a home experience’, or ‘I want to live somewhere where i can have an outdoor life’.
Next you may say: ‘but these are just my dreams, they’re not what God wants for me’. I would say: ‘write them down anyway regardless of whether they seem realistic!’. God will hone the dream over the years – we’re imperfect human beings so will receive His vision for us imperfectly, but if we don’t write it down in the first place then He has nothing to work with.
Our God is a God of the impossible and is not limited by our weaknesses and inabilities – He works in spite of them. Please write the vision down, then give it to God. He has planted desires in your heart to act as a signpost to His will. Ask Him to lessen your desire for anything that is not of Him, and to strengthen passion for the aspects of the vision which are of Him.
p.s. Thank you for the many birthday blessings yesterday.
In His Hands 
Very good suggestion, Maria! I recently went through a three-day-long vision quest which involved a lot of writing and prayer. It was one of the richest experiences of my life.
-bill
Amen. I agree with you that we should write down our dreams. I’ve done that, and I realised that God has a lot for me. My passions, dreams and visions may come true, even if they seem very unreal today. Exciting thoughts!
Blessings,
Anso
Long time no see–sorry!
This is a good suggestion…it can also help clear things in your head and get you to stop and think about what direction you might take in life, and yes, see how God will work!
Thanks!
It didn’t dawn on me that yesterday wa your birthday. Happy belated birthday and have a blessed year. I’m going to do as you have suggest. I seem to be in a rut so to speak and while it’s important to be faithful in all things, there’s som much more that I desire to do for the cause of Christ. Thanks for suggesting this. Have a great weekend in the Lord.
hey maria
you are so right…several years ago a mentor suggested that I write down my goals both short term (6 mos to a year) and long term (within 5 years)…as time passed I was amazed to discover that everything that I had written down had been accomplished…what was equally interesting was the fact that the things that didn’t get written down were either neglected…or took much longer and much more work to accomplish…I now regular y “write the vision..”
Thanks for posting this:)
Sometimes writing out what we ‘want from life’ gives us a clear picture what is totally ‘wacky’ and what can be accomplished this side of heaven…I have several dreams – one being that we look past of our church’s doctrine and see the beauty of the cross…
Oh and the other dream: to go with my babe to China for our 25th anniversary next year…
Hello Maria,
Thank you once again for another installment of wonderful spiritual insight. I certainly agree that visions written down have a concrete reality and permanence about them. I have pinned up in my kitchen on a noticeboard Winston Churchill’s advice: ‘Never, never, never, never give up’. Now, where is that piece of paper and pen to write down God’s vision for my life…?
With best regards,
Peter
God was just speaking this to me on the way home from the gym. I had to write something down that was a desire..not sure if it will come to pass, but I knew I had to do it.
Writing down dreams give purpose and direction and life, even if I don’t go and fulfill it right away.
Hope you have a great weekend!
It’s late in the day when I’m reading this, but what a great idea, Maria.
Right on, Maria! Way to preach it!
A belated Happy Birthday to you!
Thank you for the challenge. I shall write it down in my journal tonight!
Maria, your post this evening just “hit me in the face”! I used this very scripture last Sunday in my class and asked them to write down their vision of what they wanted in their church and city, and what they will do to see their “vision come to pass”. Thank you for writing on this topic. It keeps me thinking.
Maria,
Thank you for this awesome reading. And Happy Birthday to you. God Bless
What an unexpected pleasure (and a challenge!).
Thanks for making me think.
Hi Maria,
I truly thank you for your suggestion. Lately I have really stuggled and wondered what God’s plan is for my life. I used to think I knew. I started with music and have tried other things. Now I have resolved myself to the fact that, the thing I really do the best is music. At one time I had planned to give it up. I have a lot of interest for computers and the internet. Perhaps God intends to use both of these things in my life.
I just want to know what His plan is. I feel that if I knew His plan I could get in line with it and work towards it. Am I wrong? Maybe. Pray for me.
tony
I will try.
Peace.
Steve.
http://newpsalms.wordpress.com/
Stellar post as usual Maria!
Post Script: Happy Belated B-Day Sis!!! May His Blessings in your Life in Him be new each morning.
G-d Bless
This really hit the spot today. I’ll give it a try.
Sorry Maria. I didn’t write out my dreams, I typed them out. Hee hee! Seriously though, it was a very good suggestion. It really makes you think.
Happy Belated Birthday. This is REALLY belated, but I am just getting caught up on the “Friend Surfer” 🙂
Good reminder with this post. God bless!
This is a great idea. When I quit my job, and other jobs didn’t pan out, a pastor sat me down. I was floundering around. He said told me that I had to really think about what I really wanted to do with my life. I went home and thought about it. I came up two things, but had absolutely no idea how it would be accomplished. God worked some things out that were beyond anything I could imagine or hope for. I am still in the waiting room watching and expecting for God to show up — suddenly!
thank you. you spoke what i needed to hear. and also, thank you for checking in on me.
happy birthday:) people with january birthdays rock!