Hope-filled Vision for 2016

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Rom. 15:13)

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Daring to dream takes unreasonable hope.

Those with the most hope win. Hope is what fuels vision, dreams, courage. Hope is the only thing strong enough to keep us pressing on in the face of opposition, discouragement, or drudgery. Hope is the steadfast belief, the certainty that God is who He says He is, He will do what He says He will do, and that all Word-anchored commands and promises can and will be fulfilled if we remain in Him.

Hope is essential for life and hope is essential for vision.

Where there is no prophetic vision, the people perish (Prov. 29:18). Another translation says they “cast off restraint.”  Both are true. Without vision, nothing can move forward — movements die, people die, good works die. And, without vision, people “cast off restraint.” That is, there is no discipline. No habits, no faithfulness, no stick-to-it-iveness.

We know this by experience, right? Without a passion and purpose, we lack the motivation to follow through on the hard work of daily habits.

Without vision, we quit.

Instead of the New Years Resolutions, how about pursuing a hope-filled Vision for 2016? This vision informs what Habits you will practice, which will inform what action Plan you pursue. 

This way, instead of the uninspiring “read 10 books and lose 5 pounds and try to pray more” sort of deal, you have a real vision of how God wants you to change and grow and mature and flourish this year.

This isn’t about legalism, it’s about lordship.

How will my life become more entirely under the lordship of Jesus Christ in 2016? 

After writing out a vision–a dream, really–you are ready to address the habits.

What habits need to be done in order to move in this direction?

Then, when you have a list of habits, look over your year and determine where to begin. Typically, it’s most helpful to begin with what bothers you most. It’s amazing how tackling one disorderly area (in your home or life) inspires change in every other area. This is your plan. It’s most effective to tackle one habit at once, focusing exclusively on that until it’s mastered. The New Year may be a great time to make a plan for 10-12 new habits, but it’s not a great time to begin 10-12 new habits.

It’s a great time to begin one.

Plan for 12, begin with 1. 

So, I suggest taking some time to pray and ask God to show you a renewed vision for your life. Then brainstorm a bit and journal your thoughts. Here are a few questions/exercises to get us started:

VISION: What 10-12 words would you want to describe your life? If you wrote your obituary in 4-5 sentences, how would it read? What would it look like to have complete victory in a troublesome area of your life? What would freedom look like? Where have you not yet surrendered completely to His control? In a sentence, what is your mission or purpose for your life and family?

HABITS: What virtues or character qualities would be absolutely crucial in order to have a life like that? What habits do you observe being regularly practiced by those you most admire? List out 10-12 habits or virtues you most desire to see in your life. (Examples: Orderliness, Generosity, Kindness, Patience, Temperance, Punctuality, Speaking less, Gratitude, Health, Stewardship.)

PLAN: Which habit or virtue MOST stands out to you as absolutely critical for the mission? Or, which unhealthy habit has the most possibility of sabotaging success in that area? What three concrete behaviors or activities would begin cultivating this one habit or virtue in your life?

The concrete behaviors are just that — behaviors. But they are forming new grooves, new ways of thinking, new habits for becoming a more grateful person. This same rough pattern can be helpful for household habits, eating habits, parenting habits, anything. We start big (a God-given vision)and move our way down to habits (we are what we repeatedly do) and then down to the nitty-gritty: What am I am going to practice doing today? The smaller you start the better! It’s amazing how energizing a little success is!

This isn’t self-help mumbo jumbo, this is receiving a God-inspired vision for your life, the life He created you for, and asking Him for the practical wisdom to walk in the godly habits necessary for His purposes.

According to God, there is hope.

We are only allowed to be hopeless about what God is hopeless about.

Where He sees hope for change, let’s do the same. 

{Happy New Year! Thank you for reading.}