Hope RestoredSample

Focused Vision

You can learn a lot from nature. Many people in Christian settings talk about eagles and lions, but this time around I want to use one of my favorite animals, the owl, to outline some key elements of climbing out of hopelessness into God's best. Owls have large eyes that are disproportionate to their heads. You may not know that an owl can’t actually move its eyes—it has to move its head to see around itself. It’s one of the only birds that can move its head at a 270-degree angle.

When seeking what God wants for us, just as an owl can’t move its eyes, we should be sure that we have a clear line of vision into the destiny that God wants for us. We need to be very careful that even if God changes the course of action, we are never changing the overall goal of what God wants for us in our lives.

This reminds me of when I was choosing my career path for my first job after graduate school. I knew that I wanted to work in a particular field, and I kept my eyes on that goal. I knew the purpose that God had aligned for me in being able to manage projects to fruition. This was something that was always a part of my being. However, I didn’t know the twists and turns that God would take me on in my career journey. Staying focused on the target but yielding to God’s direction was critical for my success. Sometimes, we want to do things our way. We can tend to jump ahead of God’s leading and lose sight of the target that God wants us to focus on. The Bible says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God. This means that when we are making moves toward a goal, it’s important that God is involved in these steps.

When we involve God in these moves, even when things don’t go the way we want them to, He helps us pivot in the direction we need to go. When we get let down, He can help transform how we think about things to help propel us forward. The Bible says “We are transformed by the renewing of our minds." (Romans 12:2) This means that when we shift our minds onto something, especially from something disappointing to something that is necessary, we can transform our mindset. Your attitude about the pivots in the direction that God takes you is critical to your ascension.

Reflection:

1. Have you asked God what His vision for your life is?
2. If not, why?
3. If yes, what obstacles have you faced in reaching that vision?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I pray that you will help us to follow the vision you set out for us. Help us to put our own ways aside and to follow your way. Lord, help us see the obstacles that keep us from this, and give us strategies to overcome them.

In Jesus Name,

Amen