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Every January we are told how important it is to live with vision, to dream big, and to imagine our futures. But as January gives way to February and February morphs into March, our ambitious visions often become vague.
Shockingly, I realize: I am okay with this. It’s okay to let the shininess of your vision become a little dull. Did you just gasp?! Me too!
This past week I found myself more aware of my own greatness and potential, yet equally as amazed by how much my current reality contrasts with that vision. All at once, I felt both incredibly inspired and ridiculously overwhelmed. I felt "too big for my britches" yet also like my feet would always be too small for the shoes I hope to fill.
The understanding that my future is in my hands and well…that my future is in my own hands, began to weigh on me, so I brought it before God in prayer. It was in prayer that I received clarity:
We cannot be so enamored with the future
that we become restless in our present.
When we are so caught up with how beautiful the mountaintop is, we can easily become resentful of the valley and discouraged on the trek.
Anxiety can creep in because we forget that God is the one Who will make it all possible. We don't have to take the hike by ourselves. Pride can slip in and puff us up, making us believe that we are “better” than where we are now. But, the truth is, our current situation is actually training us and preparing us for where we are going.
It’s a fine balance. I believe that we should live with vision for our futures, while still releasing ourselves to be engaged in the present. As we give ourselves fully to where God has placed us now and selflessly serve the people He has entrusted us with today, we will be prepared for whatever life brings tomorrow.
