As we all hunker down to avoid the spread of COVID-19, I thought I would make a book recommendation and share some wisdom from it's pages. One of the best books I've read in a very long time is Visioneering by Andy Stanley. At a time in my life when I needed some inspiration about what God has in store for me in an uncertain future, this masterpiece simplified the complex journey I was embarking on.
Stanley weaves together the wisdom of 20 building blocks by connecting the book of Nehemiah to our own vision story. Anyone who is searching for meaning and direction will find powerful clarity in each chapter. Here's a taste of some of the most powerful concepts that have inspired me:
A vision begins with a concern. Stanley wrote, "Vision is born in the soul of a man or woman who is consumed with the tension between what is and what could be." Have you ever been drawn to an issue in a manner that grabs you and won't let go? Those are the labor pains of your vision growing inside you. What about this world concerns you?
A vision doesn't necessarily require immediate attention. This has been the part of my vision that's been the most difficult. Like a pregnant mother, I've had a very clear idea about when I wanted this vision to be delivered into the world. However, I've learned (as many have) that my timing is rarely God's timing. Learning to trust His perfect time table has been a daily struggle, but one I'm learning to embrace. What is the right time to start your vision quest?
God is using your circumstances to position and prepare you. Trusting this statement is difficult, but I think essential to finding joy in all circumstances. This life can throw us some pretty crazy curve balls, but when we look at these situations through the lens of how God can use them to prepare us, we gain perspective that make moving forward a little easier. What about your current circumstances are preparing you for your mission?
What God originates, He orchestrates. This phrase logged a lot of hours on my bathroom mirror. I wrote it there to remind myself that God didn't just give me this vision and walk away. He's a constant presence behind the scenes slowly putting the pieces together that I may at times think came together by coincidence. How is God orchestrating the details of your vision?
Don't confuse your plans with God's vision. When I started this journey, I had a really clear picture of how it was going to end, right down to the kind of job I would have and the amount of money I would make doing it. I suppose sometimes a vision unfolds flawlessly for some people, but that in no way has been the case for me. Learning to trust God as the master architect has been critical to maintaining a life that isn't saturated by disappointment. How has your plan differed from the plan you are seeing unfold in your life?
Vision requires constant attention. One of the great images Stanley paints of Nehemiah is the scene in Nehemiah 6 where he proclaims "I'm doing a great work; I can't come down [from the wall he is working on]." Just like Nehemiah, we also need to stay focused on building our vision everyday. There will be many distractions and people who will seek to get in the way of your success. What things and people are trying to prevent you from completing your great work?
Maintaining a vision requires bold leadership. Anytime a vision veers off course, a competent visionary responds with bold leadership. It's a requirement for success that you believe in your vision more than anybody else. This belief should be fueled by passion and propped up by boldness. Anyone who has accomplished God's mission has at one point or many points along the way responded to circumstances in ways they never thought possible. What areas of your life are requiring greater boldness from you right now?