The Importance Of Having A Vision For Your Life. 4.12.2013

​By: Samaria M Colbert


Habakkuk 2:2-4 (NKJV)
2 Then the LORD answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
4 “Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.


Many of you may know that I am a licensed therapist. In my day to day work I do what is called diagnostic assessments and I counselor others who have experienced trauma in their lives. For those not in the counseling field. A diagnostic assessment is an interview that last about and hour or more where the therapists assesses for mental illness and other problematic areas within a persons life to rightfully discern exactly what the mental health diagnosis is. A diagnostic assessment is basically the entire story of someone’s life. It gives the treating clinician a basic outline of what issues to address and goals to work towards in the therapeutic relationship.
 
As I work with my clients I often ask them questions about their talents, skills or abilities. I also ask them questions about what they want to work on or goals. You’d be surprised at the many people who simply don’t know basic things about themselves like what they are good at. Mind you I am not asking deep questions that would take a significant amount of time to answer. You’d think everyone would know at least one thing they are good at. When I ask questions about the future or any long term goals most people would maybe mention things about having money, getting married, buying a house for their parents maybe raising kids. Yet again I meet with people everyday who have literally no ambition for the future. They are so burdened down and oppressed that they can’t think about tomorrow they are just trying to make it day to day.
 
The point is that we all have a vision; we all have a purpose for being. It is a sad thing to go through life only to live and die having done nothing in between. My Bishop back in Maryland says that God expects us to accomplish something with our lives. We are not just saved so we can wait for the by and by until God takes us to heaven.
 
If you are a human being on this earth and everyone is, then you do have a vision for your life whether you know it or not. Whether you actually accomplish your God given vision is up to you. The sad thing is there are so many people who aimlessly wander through life with no vision for their lives and no real purpose. I personally think the root of most depression is when a person believes in their hearts that they are insignificant and have no purpose.
 
So what is a vision?
 
There is a distinct difference between a vision and a dream. I have written some other in depth blogs about the spiritual difference between dreams and visions so I won’t go that deep. For further explanation please go back through the writing sample section and scroll down until you see the blogs about dreams and visions, it will bless you. For the sake of this blog we will focus on the basic definition of vision. Vision means a focus, goal, or the act of knowing what is to come. Vision is synonymous with an inward knowing or witness of why you were placed on earth. It is a knowing of your purpose for being. Vision is when you are actively working on or going towards your ultimate destiny in life.
 
Dreams are different. Dream are not always based on reality. Most people dream at night but that does not mean their dreams are reality. You can dream all day long that you will be award winning singer. If you can’t hold a tune or sing a lick you can dream all day but your dreams are not based upon reality. You can dream of one day playing in the NFL, but if you are 53 and have never played football a day in your life, once again not based on reality. Your dreams are fantasies in your mind that are not based upon the reality of life. Dreams are just dreams. Visions is a reality in your heart, spirit and mind even though you haven’t gotten there yet.
 
A vision is purpose and purpose is vision. Who you are and what you will become is always related to how you see yourself and where you see yourself going.
 
Why is vision so important?
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:
 
Without a vision for your life you are dead. Yes that is right I said dead. Of course you are still alive physically but emotionally, spiritually and cognitively your heart, mind, emotions you are dead. You end up like some of my clients living to die. People who don’t have a vision are aimlessly living their lives believing they have no purpose for being. When you have a vision for your life you are anticipating a bright future. When you have a vision you have faith in the impossible. When you have vision you know that regardless of what it looks like right now there will be a brighter day tomorrow. Without a vision for the future we are nothing.
 
John 10:10 (KJV)
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The devil fights us to steal the vision that we have for our lives but God wants for us to have a life full of vision.
So let us discuss benefits of having a vision for you life.
1. The vision you have for your life must be a God vision.


Psalm 127:1-2 (KJV)
127 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
 
There is a major difference between a man vision and a God vision. The reality is you can spend your whole life trying to work on a vision that God did not give you. It is a sad thing to waste your years toiling and working hard to build a ministry God never told you to build. It is sad but it is a reality. We all know of people who spend their lives trying to build something God never told them to build. Often times people do what they want to do then they ask God to bless their vision. News flash God is not obligated to bless what He never intended for you to start.
 
When it is a God vision it grows. When it is a God vision His hand is on it. Make sure your vision is something God placed into your spirit and not you. Remember if God gave you a vision it is His responsibility to make it manifest not you. The God in heaven is not going to give you His vision and then expect you to work towards having Him manifest the vision that He gave you. If He wants it for you then it is His responsibility to get it to you. You have to be obedient to the process, then He will manifest it.
 
You don’t go around trying to makes the vision come to pass. Remember the scripture clearly says except God builds a house. If God didn’t build it all your work is for nothing.
 
2. Real vision takes time.
 
Great visions don’t manifest overnight. A great man once said, “I spent my whole life waiting to be a overnight success”. Even when you see great ministers and ministers who have a level of depth to them. They didn’t become great overnight, it happened through, time, patience and obedience. Notice the scripture says, “Though it tarries, wait for it” Tarry means to remain, still, wait. So yes you may have to wait on the vision it will come to pass. Just because you can’t see how God is working things out behind the scenes doesn’t mean He is not working on something.
 
3. Just because you have a vision doesn’t mean you are guaranteed that it will manifest in your life.
 
There are many people who live and die and never fulfill the promise God has for their lives. It is your obedience to Christ and carrying His cross that guarantees you will manifest His promise your life. Remember there are always windows of opportunity. It is our responsibility to be at the right place at the right time for when God opens the door. The only thing that guarantees that you will manifest God’s promises for your life if you submit yourself to the path that He takes. Yes, it will be hard, arduous and you will feel like giving up but you will get there.
 
Psalm 27:13 (KJV)
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.


4. The only way you can truly know God’s vision for your life is to seek His face. People who are not Christians can still have vision but you will never know the true vision God has for your life in it’s true capacity unless you seek His face. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to walk in a partial or my own vision. I want all God has in store for me.
Psalm 27:8 (KJV)
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.


5. Lastly remember God has the purpose, He has the timing, He has the plan. Ultimately He is all that you need, He will bring it to pass. When you have a God vision, you have God faith. When you have God faith you truly trust that God will manifest every precious promise in your life. Remember as bad as you want it God wants it more.
 
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV)
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
 
Go in peace and be in pursuit of purpose.


Samaria M Colbert © 2013