Vision

"Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is also full of darkness."

Luke 11:33

What is this passage saying? It’s saying that whatever you focus on, becomes your character. If you are always focussed on the negative, you become a negative person.

To accomplish great things, great vision must lead the way. All great leaders are visionaries. In Acts 1:7-9 Jesus gives the apostles vision for what they will do after he leaves them. In Acts 18:9-11 the Lord encourages Paul by giving him vision.

Here are some signs that you are losing your vision:

1. lose excitement for challenges

- life’s challenges seem to drain you rather than excite you.

2. The "grass is greener" complex

-you’re always wondering what could have happened if you did something else

3. Apathy

-just don’t care that much

Does this describe you? Maybe you’ve lost your vision for your life, marriage, job, etc. Here are three practicals to get back your vision.

1. REPENT OF YOUR SIN

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverence the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus..."

Heb 12:1-2

Before we fix our eyes on Jesus we must first "throw off" the sin that entangles us. My wife and I had a rough 4 months in our second year of marriage. We couldn’t understand why we were both so on edge. Then we figured it out. We had this debt hanging over our heads from school that we weren’t paying off. It was stealing our joy. So we sat down and made a plan to go after our debt and start aggresively paying it off. We both got happier, and closer in our marriage. What sin is stealing your vision? It could be debt, laziness, poor work ethic, purity etc. Whatever it is take steps today to change and your will feel refreshed.

2. GROW IN YOUR CHARACTER

"For this reason make every effort to add to your faith goodness... For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"

2Peter1: 5,8

My wife is always looking to improve herself. She’s always reading a book, taking a class, or studying online some skill or expertise to improve herself. In the last year she has gotten certified in reflexology and first -aid, she is currently studying mechanics and investments. She already has a couple degrees, raises our two boys (ages 3 &1), and works as a women’s counseller for our church (what do I do?). She gets excited everytime she learns something new. Want to restore vision? Make every effort to add to your faith. This could mean excercise (for physical training is of some value), it could mean any new endeavor that excites and challenges your character.

3.GIVE OTHERS VISION

"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himslef be refreshed"

Proverbs 11:25

Nothing restores vision like giving to others. Find someone that lacks vision and encourage them to be faithful. I’m sure you’ll find that you will inspire yourself as well.