Some time ago I had the chance to sit down with someone I greatly admire. He is a man who has achieved, by all worldly standards, great success in his profession. He is an amazing husband, father and faithful and generous follower of Jesus. I could be talking about Brian - he certainly fits those characteristics - but I am speaking of a man who is further ahead in life than we are, and someone both Brian and I admire.

How did he do it? How did he find God’s will for his life and then achieve it?

“God gave me a vision” he said. “I prayed for God to help me see what He wanted for my life. I knew the profession that I was called to and because that picture was clear, I knew the choices I needed to make to achieve it. But that was the same for every aspect of my life - my marriage, our children, our finances. We prayed for a vision of what God wanted it to look like down the road. Then we just worked to that end.”

I must have given him a funny look, like “really”?

He continued with a smile, “Sounds easy, but it wasn’t without sacrifice.” Then he looked me straight on and said, “When the picture is clear the decisions get simpler. If something fit in the bigger picture we did it. If it didn’t fit, we didn’t do it. Sometimes it was hard to stay focused to what God was calling us to, but in the long run it has been worthwhile. And the glory is all God’s.”

Then he said, as though to remind me, “But it began with a vision.”

I came away a bit awestruck by the intentionality with which this he lives out there life. Living everyday as if it were on purpose.

We think about vision casting and vision statements for organizations. We, as a session, have spent much time thinking and praying about what God would have Amberlea look like in three to five years. What a fascinating experience it was to be amongst the faithful spiritual leaders of this church as a vision for Amberlea began to crystallize.

As the picture began to take shape, it also became obvious what God was calling us to do to achieve it. And what my friend alluded to is exactly what we experienced during our session retreat. As the vision become clearer, the options to achieve that vision narrow and the decisions become simpler.

How many of us ask God to give us a vision of what He wants our lives to be like in three years or five years? Why not?

This week we are concluding our series on Finding God’s Will with Part 4. Join us!