What is your vision for this year, and how will you pursue it?
A Listening Heart
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The New Year is an excellent opportunity for a fresh start. My vision is to start a podcast and inspire women to discover their identity and the treasures of their hearts. As I reflect on my dreams, I look to Nehemiah for encouragement.
Nehemiah had a vision to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:12). He took three simple steps: Sit, Walk, and Stand.
These steps helped him turn his vision into reality. Before you can turn your vision into reality, you need a process.
You and I can follow Nehemiah’s example as we go after our dreams and goals this year. Maybe your vision is to improve your lifestyle, make changes in self-care, career, health, relationships, volunteer at the homeless shelter, or go on a mission trip. We can surrender our vision to God and ask for his help.
Simple Steps for Turning Your Vision into Reality
1. Sit with God in Prayer
God put a dream of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem on Nehemiah’s heart. He felt it was necessary to sit with God and pray first to be successful (Nehemiah 1:4-8).
God wants us to remind him of his promises to us too. You and I can write down our vision and bring specific needs to God in prayer. We can break them down into actionable steps and ask God to grant us favor and success to go after our vision.
Nehemiah had direct access to King Artaxerxes; we too have direct access to God. He longs for us to sit with him and share our dreams, hopes and aspirations. Seeing our dreams and goals come to fruition begins with sitting with God.
What will you do to keep your vision at the forefront of your mind this year?
2. Walk- Take Necessary Action
We can take necessary action under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Nehemiah prayed and thought through what he would need to turn his vision into reality (Nehemiah 2:4).
He asked permission from the king to:
- Go back and rebuild the broken wall of Jerusalem.
- Letters to governors for safe passage
- Letter to obtain timber and other supplies for rebuilding.
And because of God’s favor, the king granted his requests. When he arrived in Judah, he inspected the broken walls and gathered the people to rebuild.
What do you need to turn your vision into reality? What smaller steps can you take?
For me, I like to chunk down my vision into 90-day bite sizes and identify actionable steps that I can take in that time frame toward the bigger vision. Then I further break down into weekly and daily goals and cover the details of my plan with prayer. As I implement them, I trust God to redirect my steps If I make mistakes along the way.
What is your process for accomplishing your dreams and goals? What does it look like?
3. Stand, Despite Opposition and Challenges
After getting the people’s buy-in to rebuild the city walls, Nehemiah faced opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah, and others. They used fear, intimidation, false accusations, and mockery to distract Nehemiah and the people of Judah from pursuing their vision (Nehemiah 2:19, 4:3, 7-8). We can count on distractions and opposition as we pursue our vision.
Nehemiah and the people chose to stand and continue rebuilding despite opposition. When the threats increased, they took precautions and posted the guards day and night. They called on God for protection, and the people worked on rebuilding the wall with all their hearts, one brick at a time.
Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked (Nehemiah 4:17-18).
Though we may not face the same threats as Nehemiah, we have our own distractions such as technology, emails, social media, phones, illness, and other people’s demands. Identify one thing you can do daily to move you closer to realizing your vision.
How will you stand for your vision and eliminate distractions or overcome challenges this year? What plans can you put in place?
Your vision is real.
God placed it on your heart, and he wants to partner with you to accomplish it. It will require you to set your intentions and diligently follow through to bring your vision to life.
With God’s help, we can accomplish a seemingly impossible vision. As you Sit with him in prayer, Walk and act, and Stand despite opposition, you can trust him to guide you with divine strategies and grant you favor and success.
Who can you enlist to prayerfully support you in making your vision a reality this year?
If you need to help with gaining clarity on your vision check out Renew Your Vision, Renew Your Life.
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You may also be interested in Turning Your Vision into Reality and Renew Your Vision, Renew Your Life.
